Harry Giles, Freshman, Power Forward, Duke
Overview:
Harry Giles enters the NBA Draft as possibly the biggest mystery as a prospect. Giles has a lengthy and well-known history of leg injuries. He tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus in 2013, tore his other ACL in 2015 and had a third knee surgery in late 2016, which delayed his debut at Duke until mid-December. When he did finally suit up for the Blue Devils, he was very limited with just 11.5 minutes per game. Standing 6-11 with a 7-3 wingspan and a solid 220 lb. frame, Giles certainly has an NBA-caliber profile. However, he may never regain the athleticism that he once possessed to go with that size.
Giles’ best chance at sticking in the NBA is as a high energy center. The best trait that he was able to consistently display at Duke was his high motor. He runs the floor well and makes himself available for transition baskets by running rim-to-rim. His motor showed up the most with his effort on the glass, averaging a whopping 13.3 rebounds per 40 minutes. He’s aggressive seeking out loose balls and is a quick leaper on the boards.
Giles’ energy showed on the defensive end of the floor as well. He was very active on defense and can guard stretch power forwards along with centers. He shows some potential as a rim protector with 2.3 blocks per 40 minutes. If Giles is able to fully regain his agility, he also could be able to hedge or switch on ball screens along the perimeter. However, he still has quite a ways to go with his discipline and defensive fundamentals. Giles was ridiculously foul prone, committing 7.7 fouls per 40 minutes which contributed to his lack of playing time.
On offense may be where Giles has the longest way to go to make an impact at the next level. He was a solid roll man off ball screens and has the reach to finish above the rim with ease. Giles isn’t able to generate any offense on his own though. The majority of his 45 career college field goals came off passes or rebounds. His basketball IQ isn’t very high due to injuries keeping him off the court. He has sloppy footwork in the post, no ball-handling skills to create his shot and isn’t comfortable making passes. He also doesn’t show much potential to develop a shooting stroke, going just 12-24 from the free-throw line.
Final Projection:
Harry Giles will be an incredibly risky draft pick. His lengthy history of leg injuries will certainly scare off many teams. If a team decides to roll the dice on him, they are doing so with the hope that he regains his athleticism from his high school career. Giles does have the size and energy to be a center in the NBA. Even if he is limited to rim running, catching lobs and gathering rebounds, he can be of use at the next level. However, Giles’ ceiling as a pro may always be a mystery if he is never able to stay healthy or become the same player he once was.
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