Got ball-handling? Wichita State basketball could turn to Miami transfer Harlond Beverly

There’s not much statistical evidence from last season to suggest Miami transfer Harlond Beverly could help the Wichita State men’s basketball team at the point guard position.

In his return from a significant back injury, Beverly posted modest averages — 3.5 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists — for Miami.

But the 6-foot-5 guard is finally healthy and the former top-75 recruit has impressed his Shocker teammates with his ball-handling ability and vision on the court this preseason.

“I didn’t really know that about him at first, but he’s definitely shown he can do it,” fellow guard Colby Rogers said of Beverly. “He can really pass and he sees the floor and with his length and size, he can make those deliveries that a normal, smaller, traditional point guard wouldn’t be able to make.”

Wichita State enters the season, which begins Sunday with a 1 p.m. exhibition against Rogers State at Koch Arena, with only one traditional point guard on the roster and the eligibility of Bijan Cortes, an Oklahoma transfer, is still unknown due to an ongoing NCAA waiver process.

It makes for quite the challenge for Paul Mills, WSU’s first-year coach who had great success playing two point guards together at Oral Roberts and ranked in the top-16 nationally in turnover percentage the last four seasons.

While WSU’s roster may not have any other players who have played point guard full-time, Mills is confident the offense will be in good hands with guards like Xavier Bell, Rogers and Beverly making decisions on the ball more this season.

“I don’t really get caught up in the traditional mentality of, ‘Here’s your point guard and he has to be like John Stockton,’” Mills said. “In the NBA, you’re starting to see more scoring point guards. Guys like Trae Young, Steph Curry, Dame Lillard. I would argue that Golden State has five ball handlers.

“And then you look at Denver and how they initiate offense and how they utilize (Nikola Jokic), so I’ve always been a believer in you have to have multiple ball handlers.

“We didn’t lead the country in not turning it over because we only had one ball handler. Harlond is going to be a part of that for us. What I like about Harlond’s game is that not only can Harlond see, but he can deliver. A lot of players can see, but the pass might be at their knees or three feet to the right. He can put it on the mark, so his vision is great.”

Before his injury, Beverly was beginning to blossom in his role as a big-wing play-maker for Miami. He was averaging 6.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals before an injury ended his 2020-21 season.

He routinely brought the ball up the court for Miami and was proficient in running an offense, making simple reads and keeping the ball moving. But what made his potential so tantalizing was his vision and creativity. Beverly could manipulate defenses with his eyes and find angles with his height to unlock defenses that aren’t available to smaller guards.

“I feel like I’ve always been a point guard at heart,” Beverly said. “I just like seeing everybody eat. I’ve always liked seeing my teammates do well when they capitalize on my passes. I understand for a team to be successful, you have to be a willing passer.”

While WSU isn’t likely to have someone approach Craig Porter Jr.’s team-leading 4.9 assists per game from last season, the Shockers could very well look similar to Mills’ final team at Oral Roberts, which had four players average better than two assists per game (WSU’s 2022-23 team only had one).

Beverly won’t spend all of his time on the ball for WSU. He’s been superb in transition this preseason, according to Mills, and has shown a good knack for timing his cuts without the ball. But when he is asked to create, Beverly has shown he is up for the challenge as a secondary play-maker.

“What really stands out to me is that he plays at a great pace,” Bell said. “He never really gets sped up. He’s always playing at his speed and he’s usually able to get into the paint and break the defense down a lot. That ability is really beneficial for us trying to get the best shot we can in those 30 seconds that we have.”

For the first time in years, Beverly is entering a season fully healthy and without back pain. He says his conditioning has improved throughout the preseason and he’s excited to show Shocker fans the versatility of his game in his first year with the team.

“I really liked that (Mills) didn’t try to put me in a box,” Beverly said. “Whatever the team needs, I can shift my game and do that. I’ve always played alongside other guards who are really good and can really score it, so that allows me to play off of them and show my play-making ability. It’s been really fun playing with these guys so far and I’m excited to show what I can do this season.”