Was ’Cuse bad for Harris?

Believe it or not, we’re starting to change our tune on Paul Harris, a manchild who might have found the wrong fit in Syracuse under coach Jim Boeheim.

Everyone knows Harris’ biggest asset is his physique — simply getting out and running past and over people. It’s the same on defense, he’s quick enough to stay on guards while strong enough to handle smaller forwards.

But in Boeheim’s system, Harris always seemed out of sorts. Playing in the famous 2-3 zone, Harris’ flaws were exposed. He’s not a cerebral player, so working through switches in the complex defense never suited his style. On offense, the Orange rarely found a way to use his slashing skills, instead often opting for deep threes from Donte Greene or Eric Devendorf.

We’re not knocking Boeheim’s system — it’s a proven commodity with the right players. And we’re not giving Harris an out — he hardly seemed committed to molding his game to the SU style.

But maybe we can chalk this one up to a guy who went to the wrong school. If recent raves from scouts at NBA tryouts are an indication, Harris might still have a chance to display those skills he showed off nightly at Niagara Falls’ Wolvearena on a big stage again.