{"id":6974,"date":"2017-05-25T08:30:52","date_gmt":"2017-05-25T12:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/?p=6974"},"modified":"2017-05-24T23:05:32","modified_gmt":"2017-05-25T03:05:32","slug":"harry-giles-nba-draft-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2017\/05\/25\/harry-giles-nba-draft-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Harry Giles NBA Draft Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to LWOPB NBA Draft Coverage, the column that brings you player profiles for the next crop of professional basketball players that are likely to be selected in the upcoming draft. Be sure to bookmark <\/em>the site<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>follow us on Twitter<\/em><\/a>, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical profiles and scouting reports. Click <\/em>here<\/em><\/a> to check out our complete coverage of the 2017 NBA Draft. Last Word On Pro Basketball is your headquarters for all things 2017 NBA Draft!<\/em><\/p>\n

This Harry Giles<\/a><\/strong> NBA Draft profile breaks down everything you need to know about Duke\u2019s freshman big man.<\/p>\n

Harry Giles \u2013 6\u201910” Forward\/Center, Duke University, 19 Years Old<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t help that Giles was glued to the bench for most of his time there, stuck behind senior Amile Jefferson<\/a><\/strong> and highly-touted Jayson Tatum<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Strengths<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Giles\u2019 physical gifts are undoubtedly his best assets. At 6\u201910\u201d, with a wingspan greater than 7\u20193\u201d (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\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

The combination of length and athleticism may put Giles in the mold of a young Tyson Chandler<\/a><\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=aQJx8F2qQIc&spfreload=10<\/p>\n

Weaknesses<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As previously stated, Giles is raw<\/em>. While he has the potential to be an elite rim protector, he\u2019ll 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\u2019t 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<\/a><\/strong>-esque floater would greatly help Giles around the rim.<\/p>\n

Of course, there are other issues, too. Giles\u2019 lack of playing time in his lone collegiate season raises all sorts of questions. He\u2019s played very little beyond high school, and it\u2019s quite difficult to judge an NBA prospect based on his success at age 17. Furthermore, it\u2019s unclear whether Giles\u2019 injuries will hurt him long-term. At 19 years old, he\u2019s already had two knee surgeries \u2013 a troubling sign for a big man.<\/p>\n

NBA Potential<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In a best-case scenario, Giles projects as a small ball starting center. He\u2019s 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\u2019 athleticism and potential for highlight plays could work well in a reserve role.<\/p>\n

However, given Giles\u2019 injury history, there\u2019s a decent chance that he could become a bust. He wouldn\u2019t 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 \u2013 unless a tanking team unleashes him down the stretch \u2013 so if he can\u2019t stay healthy, he may never solidify a role in the NBA.<\/p>\n

NBA Player Comparison<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As someone who may be best used as an athletic small ball center, Giles compares to many current NBA players. He\u2019s most reminiscent of Clint Capela<\/a><\/strong> and Bismack Biyombo<\/a><\/strong>. 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\u2019 energy and potential for highlights at any given moment are reminiscent of Biyombo. If paired with a playmaker like James Harden<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 as Capela was in the 2016-17 season \u2013 Giles could finish a lot of lob dunks and make a lot of noise someday in the NBA.<\/p>\n

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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\u2019s hoping that the Washington Wizards trade up and take him \u2013 for the culture.<\/p>\n

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I hope Washington drafts Harry Giles. Then Adam Silver can tell him on draft night: "You're a Wizard, Harry."<\/p>\n

— Lior (@LiorKozai) January 10, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n