Healthy Harrison showing what he's capable of

Even opposition coaches are impressed with the way Brisbane Bullets big man Tyrell Harrison is performing so far this season and he is surprising himself with how good it feels to be back healthy and out on the NBL court.

Harrison has now been with the Bullets since originally joining as a development player for the 2017/18 season, but right now he is in the best form of his NBL career and it's no surprise that it's on the back of being healthy and having had a strong pre-season.

After a strong 2020/21 season where Harrison appeared in 36 games and averaged 5.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks a game, he has been limited to 33 appearances of a possible 56 over the past two campaigns for the Bullets.

That has been frustrating to deal with and it's never fun having to cope with being injured and always feeling as though you are on the comeback from an injury, but that has now all changed for the 24-year-old centre who was born and raised in Brisbane.

Getting to play for his hometown team is a dream come true for the imposing centre as well and it means a lot to him to pull on a Brisbane jersey every chance he gets, and now he is in the best form of his 96-game NBL career as a result.

Harrison has taken over the starting position at centre for the Bullets and is producing 10.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks a game while shooting at a remarkably efficient 62 per cent from the field.

He is proving himself a strong interior presence on offence who the Bullets can rely upon around the basket, he is pulling down 1.5 offensive rebounds a game too and the screens he's setting have been important in how well Nathan Sobey especially has been able to play.

Then up the other end, Harrison has well and truly put himself in contention to win the Damian Martin Trophy as the league's Best Defensive Player with his rim protection along with defensive rebounding and ability to just be that big body who makes life difficult for the opposition.

It's at a point where even opposition coaches are taking notice of what Harrison is doing. Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth pointed out his growth after his 20 points and eight rebounds in Saturday's narrow loss for the Bullets in Launceston.

"I think Harrison is one of the most improved players I've seen in the league so far this year," Roth said.

"They are doing a really good job with him and he's quite dominant around the rim so just kudos to him and their group for what they are doing."

Harrison has always been seen as one of the more exciting emerging big men in the NBL. That's why the Bullets have been so keen to keep him under contract, and why the Tall Blacks will always give him a chance to be part of the New Zealand national team.

It's only his health that has held him back over the last couple of years, but this version of Harrison in NBL24 is showing exactly why there's been such big hopes for him with what he's doing on the back of having a big pre-season, being healthy now and having the backing of the coaching staff.

Harrison might even be surprising himself a little with how good it's feeling to be out there playing well on this Bullets team.

"Being healthy is one thing but honestly I'm just trying to come in and do my role in the team. I want to do all the little things for this team to be successful, and win games. That's what I try to bring every game," Harrison said.

"Honestly it's pretty surprising from pre-season staying healthy to the start of the season to now with how I'm feeling.

"It's actually pretty great and it's just such a good feeling to be playing consistent basketball again. I couldn’t be prouder playing with the boys that we have here and it's an exciting team to be part of, and I'm grateful to be part of this journey with them."

Looking back on Saturday's loss in Launceston, the Bullets went ever so close to making it four wins in succession and had a chance to send the game into overtime in the final seconds after a frantic last two minutes.

In the end, for Harrison and his teammates it was frustrating to get so close to making it four straight wins and not quite getting it done. At the same time after the wins against Perth, the JackJumpers and South East Melbourne Phoenix, there's plenty to be positive about.

"It's super frustrating to not get that win," Harrison said.

"There was never a moment throughout that game where I felt like we were going to lose, I always felt like we were going to come back and win, and play our style of basketball. I guess that last two minutes really hurt us in the end, but I'm super proud of the boys."