Is transfer Ryan Harrow Kentucky’s next great point guard?

If Arizona earned the nickname "Point Guard U" in the 1990s for producing a string of elite players at the position, it may not be long before Kentucky usurps it.

Coach John Calipari landed another highly touted point guard late Wednesday night to go along with former Wildcats stars John Wall, Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight and promising incoming freshman Marquis Teague.

NC State transfer Ryan Harrow, a former top 50 recruit, selected Kentucky over Georgia, Louisville and Texas, among others. The sophomore-to-be will have to sit out all of next season but will have three years of eligibility remaining starting in the 2012-13 season.

It's easy to see why Harrow would be enamored with a point guard-friendly system like Kentucky's after spending a year in Sidney Lowe's structured, methodical system. Harrow started just 10 of the 29 games he played as a freshman at NC State and averaged 9.3 points and 3.3 assists, eventually growing frustrated that he was unable to fully showcase his creativity, passing or quickness getting to the rim.

There are plenty of benefits for Kentucky too even if Harrow's slight frame and erratic jump shot make him less of a sure thing than some of his can't-miss NBA lottery-bound predecessors.

First of all, Harrow's presence will give Teague a worthy practice adversary next season, something Kentucky would have otherwise lacked. Secondly, he may be better than any point guard prospect the Wildcats could have attracted from a 2012 class that appears unusually weak at the position.

What will be most intriguing watching Harrow at Kentucky is seeing if he's willing to follow a very different path than previous Calipari point guards.

Will Harrow have the patience and self-awareness to be the rare Kentucky point guard willing to remain in Lexington a few years and grow under Calipari's tutelage? And will Calipari embrace Harrow as his potential starting point guard for two or three seasons or try to recruit over him if the opportunity presents itself?

The answers to those questions will probably determine whether Harrow and Kentucky turn out to be a good longterm fit.

Danneel Harris Veronika Vaeková Eve Brittany Lee Daisy Fuentes