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This Harry Giles NBA Draft profile breaks down everything you need to know about Duke’s freshman big man.
Harry Giles – 6’10” Forward/Center, Duke University, 19 Years Old
One of the most important decisions that NBA teams must make in the draft process is whether to look for proven college athletes or young, raw prospects. Harry Giles is most certainly the latter. After dominating the high school basketball scene at the renowned Oak Hill Academy, Giles tore his ACL just two games into his senior high school season in 2015. As a five-star prospect, he still earned offers from Duke, Wake Forest, Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Giles chose Duke, and after another minor knee surgery, he finally made his NCAA debut in December 2016.
Unfortunately, Giles struggled for the Blue Devils, averaging 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in just 11.5 minutes per game. In his 26 contests, the freshman never quite found his footing at Duke. It didn’t help that Giles was glued to the bench for most of his time there, stuck behind senior Amile Jefferson and highly-touted Jayson Tatum.
Strengths
Giles’ physical gifts are undoubtedly his best assets. At 6’10”, with a wingspan greater than 7’3” (as measured at the NBA Draft Combine), Giles has excellent length for a power forward. However, if he can add some muscle to his skinny 232 lbs frame, Giles will be the perfect center for small lineups in the current NBA landscape. Giles’ athleticism, quickness, and agility for a player his size give him an advantage over most other big men. Those traits will allow him a fighting chance at switching onto guards in pick-and-rolls, which many NBA teams like to do nowadays.
The combination of length and athleticism may put Giles in the mold of a young Tyson Chandler, in some sense. On the offensive end, he can set screens and dive hard to the rim for lobs. Defensively, Giles might become a solid rim protector who can occasionally switch onto ball handlers and stay in front of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQJx8F2qQIc&spfreload=10
Weaknesses
As previously stated, Giles is raw. While he has the potential to be an elite rim protector, he’ll need to vastly improve his defensive fundamentals to get there. The same goes for his prospects of keeping up with guards on the pick-and-roll. Offensively, Giles still needs a ton of work. His jumper is rough, and he lacks touch when he tries to finish in the paint. If the dunk isn’t there, Giles often struggles to finish over defenders his size or larger. Post moves may not be too important for most big men in the NBA today, but Giles needs to add something workable to his arsenal. Even a Tristan Thompson-esque floater would greatly help Giles around the rim.
Of course, there are other issues, too. Giles’ lack of playing time in his lone collegiate season raises all sorts of questions. He’s played very little beyond high school, and it’s quite difficult to judge an NBA prospect based on his success at age 17. Furthermore, it’s unclear whether Giles’ injuries will hurt him long-term. At 19 years old, he’s already had two knee surgeries – a troubling sign for a big man.
NBA Potential
In a best-case scenario, Giles projects as a small ball starting center. He’s very unlikely to ever be an All-Star, but he could become a solid two-way presence. Alternatively, Giles could be a perfect fit as an energy guy coming off the bench. Bench units are often smaller than starting lineups, so Giles could slide right in as a backup five. Giles’ athleticism and potential for highlight plays could work well in a reserve role.
However, given Giles’ injury history, there’s a decent chance that he could become a bust. He wouldn’t be the first player to fall short of expectations due to injury problems. Giles will probably spend plenty of time in the G-League during his rookie season – unless a tanking team unleashes him down the stretch – so if he can’t stay healthy, he may never solidify a role in the NBA.
NBA Player Comparison
As someone who may be best used as an athletic small ball center, Giles compares to many current NBA players. He’s most reminiscent of Clint Capela and Bismack Biyombo. Giles may be built a little differently than them, but he projects to fill the same role. He should be hyperactive on both ends of the court, looking for dunks on one end and blocks on the other. Giles’ energy and potential for highlights at any given moment are reminiscent of Biyombo. If paired with a playmaker like James Harden – as Capela was in the 2016-17 season – Giles could finish a lot of lob dunks and make a lot of noise someday in the NBA.
As a high-risk, high-reward prospect, Giles could be selected anywhere from late in the lottery to the end of the first round. Here’s hoping that the Washington Wizards trade up and take him – for the culture.
I hope Washington drafts Harry Giles. Then Adam Silver can tell him on draft night: "You're a Wizard, Harry."
— Lior (@LiorKozai) January 10, 2017
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