Harry Giles article: By, Harry Giles

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
Can’t wait for Giles to do what Bogdan did, surprise the hell out of the haters.
I honestly didn't know much about him when we drafted him. As the season went on, I spent some time looking at YouTube clips and reading articles like the one above. I think Vlade found a gem and I truly believe Giles is going to more than prove Vlade right. :)
 
I honestly didn't know much about him when we drafted him. As the season went on, I spent some time looking at YouTube clips and reading articles like the one above. I think Vlade found a gem and I truly believe Giles is going to more than prove Vlade right. :)
I believe it as well he’ll bring athleticism, size, rebounding, defense, and high IQ to the team.

Vlade might have had a New Orleans Saints type draft tat turned there franchise around this year.
 
I believe it as well he’ll bring athleticism, size, rebounding, defense, and high IQ to the team.

Vlade might have had a New Orleans Saints type draft tat turned there franchise around this year.
It is funny to hear my brother-in-law, from Oakland and lifelong Dubs fan talk about our last draft.

He described it the same exact way that you just did Josh! Love it! Time will tell, but it will be fun at the very least.

On our drive home from school today My 8-year-old and I were talking about next year, he said “of course Giles will be good, he went to Duke!”
 
Whether Giles can fulfill his potential remains to be seen but I cannot help but be impressed that the franchise is leaving no stone unturned to give him the best chance possible from health perspective! I genuinely hope that their efforts, patience and in this case risk appetite is rewarded in spades.
 
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Whether Giles can fulfill his potential remains to be seen but I cannot help but be impressed that the franc hise is leaving no stone unturned to give him the best chance possible from health perspective! I genuinely hope that their efforts, patience and in this case risk appetite is rewarded in spades.
That’s the beat part about it cause when he’s confident in his knee and athleticism that’s when you see the athletic guy who was ranked number 1 in the nation. When you rush him back 4 weeks after surgery while he wears a brace and has no practice time or more importantly zero athleticism and confidence you get Duke Giles. Just look at Porter Jr who looks terrible like Giles did he’s only had a week of practice. That should let you know that Duke Giles won’t be nba Giles yet people give Porter Jr a pass.
 
That’s the beat part about it cause when he’s confident in his knee and athleticism that’s when you see the athletic guy who was ranked number 1 in the nation. When you rush him back 4 weeks after surgery while he wears a brace and has no practice time or more importantly zero athleticism and confidence you get Duke Giles. Just look at Porter Jr who looks terrible like Giles did he’s only had a week of practice. That should let you know that Duke Giles won’t be nba Giles yet people give Porter Jr a pass.
I am not too worried about the health. I expect Giles with Kings to be better than the one people saw at Duke. I am more worried about the lack of basketball games and as such development since his junior year of high school.
 
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I don't know what Giles will be, but from what little college film there is on him I see a guy who has some understanding of how to play in the post which was Skal's biggest weakness coming out of Kentucky. I have high hopes for Harry but it's really hard to count on someone who hasn't played a minute of NBA basketball.

If the stuff we're hearing about him has merit though we could be in great position moving forward with talent all over the place.
Also from Duke we saw:
a great rebounder
Great screener: which is big for Bogdan/Fox
Good defensive awareness
 
While I am far from convinced that WCS is a starting calibre C on a play off team, I am not exactly ready to pin my hopes on Giles who has not played a minute of NBA basketball yet. I hope he fulfills his potential but we have no idea what he will be able to do in the NBA (if anyhting)
 
While I am far from convinced that WCS is a starting calibre C on a play off team, I am not exactly ready to pin my hopes on Giles who has not played a minute of NBA basketball yet. I hope he fulfills his potential but we have no idea what he will be able to do in the NBA (if anyhting)
Would it be fair to say we have no idea but the players do?

My hopes are largely pinned on Bogdan’s comments because my perception of him is he isn’t prone to hyperbole. If Giles were marginal versus looking very good, I’m guessing Bogdan would stay quiet on the topic. You know him better than I. Is this a correct assessment?
 
Would it be fair to say we have no idea but the players do?

My hopes are largely pinned on Bogdan’s comments because my perception of him is he isn’t prone to hyperbole. If Giles were marginal versus looking very good, I’m guessing Bogdan would stay quiet on the topic. You know him better than I. Is this a correct assessment?
Bogdan is not going to not pump up his team mate when he is asked a question about that team mate.

There is no doubt that based on his high school play, Giles is a genuine franchise level talent in the modern NBA. Whether he can overcome years of missed development at probably the most crutial time in player's career, that is something that will remain unanswered for a couple of years. If the answer to that question is yes, then you just might have your franchise level big on your hands but that is far from a given.

Based on his high school film, Giles is everything WCS could be but is not interested in becoming. An excellent rebounder, rim protector and someone who can switch on pick and roll and contain smaller players. Offensively, he also showed more than WCS did at any point.

In the modern NBA, WCS could, if he really wanted to, be a prototype of a modern NBA center. Excellent athlete, great length, can guard ANYONE and protect the rim......i.e. a defensive beast, runs the floor better than many guards, can put the ball on the floor, decent passer and he could be a great rebounder. He does not appear to be interested in getting the foundation of his game down pat before he expands his offensive game. If he can pride himself on becoming the best defender in the league and actually fight fo the rebounds like his life depended on it, that becomes his staple and opens up his offensive game. However he is more interested on becoming an alpha dog which he will never be.

I see WCS and Skal and I see MASSIVE difference in attitude. Skal will try his backside off, he will try to defend (but make dumb mistakes), he will fight for every rebound (but he is not strong enough to hold his position and get a hold of those boards that he goes for), he will try o play perimeter D and try and provide weak side shot blocking. I might be completely off the mark here but I can see Skal being a better player in 3-4 years time than WCS will be because the kid wants to work on the areas that coaches want him to work on. WCS seems to beat to his own drum.
 
Giles:

He is four months younger than Fox. They had been playing against each other in AAU ball since the 6th grade. For the first couple of years, they were the same height and guarded each other. That tells me that he has better ball handling skills than your average big man. Charles Barkley was a point guard through his sophomore year in high school. It is a big advantage to be responsible for handling the ball when other bigs are just posted down low from age 10 on. IF he stays healthy, Giles could be special.

WCS:

Contrary to other commenters, I think Willie's problem is that he has no ego at all. That is sometimes true with young bigs. They are kind of embarrassed that they are so big, slouch aqt school to NOT stand out and wonder if size is the only reason they are succeeding. Many are withdrawn "Aw, Shucks" types until they mature. I think Willie is a keeper but more than anyone else on this team, he needs good coaching. I think he should spend an offseason with Tom House and come back more confident. I also wonder who is instructing him on free throw shooting. Watch his form. He doesn't seem to understand the basic concept that "Your power should come from your legs" - he barely bends them and is "all arm". No wonder he is always "1 out of 2". Unlike Koufos, this can be corrected. In some ways (passing, the two left handed hook shots) last night's game against the Pistons was his best. I'm not certain that HE was responsible for Drummond scoring only two baskets that collectively traveled three feet, but something happened there.
Ya watch Giles high school tape he’s out there playing like a guard. Also that’s how Blake Griffin grew up as well that’s why his handle and passing are so good
 
Ya watch Giles high school tape he’s out there playing like a guard. Also that’s how Blake Griffin grew up as well that’s why his handle and passing are so good
Yep, that's what is so mysterious about him now.

At Duke he was nothing of the sort. Played like a standard big man. I haven't seen his high school tapes since last years draft but I remember him looking like a KG/Durant hybrid in them.

I'm hoping he looks different than he did at Duke but I wouldn't expect him to look like his high school reels either after multiple knee surgeries and the fact that he was probably about eleventeen inches taller than most of the other kids.

The anticipation should be pretty high for all of us if he gets out there in summer league.
 
Yep, that's what is so mysterious about him now.

At Duke he was nothing of the sort. Played like a standard big man. I haven't seen his high school tapes since last years draft but I remember him looking like a KG/Durant hybrid in them.

I'm hoping he looks different than he did at Duke but I wouldn't expect him to look like his high school reels either after multiple knee surgeries and the fact that he was probably about eleventeen inches taller than most of the other kids.

The anticipation should be pretty high for all of us if he gets out there in summer league.
My understanding is that it takes over a year AFTER returning to the sport to fully get back to normal. That is with proper medical care and rehab. I'm not sure of the level of treatment he had in high school. Or even if he could, at such a young age, understand the importance of the rehab. What he did at Duke is probably not an indication of what he will be in the future.

The Kings did the right thing in sitting him out for the year. Giles has nothing but free time to devote solely to his rehab and the unlimited resources, as it relates to medical treatment, that the Kings can provide. I'm cautiously optimistic that he can perform to near the same physical level as before. Couple that with the ball handling and skill level that he possessed and I think we definitely got a steal. Worth every penny to see if it pans out.
 
My understanding is that it takes over a year AFTER returning to the sport to fully get back to normal. That is with proper medical care and rehab. I'm not sure of the level of treatment he had in high school. Or even if he could, at such a young age, understand the importance of the rehab. What he did at Duke is probably not an indication of what he will be in the future.

The Kings did the right thing in sitting him out for the year. Giles has nothing but free time to devote solely to his rehab and the unlimited resources, as it relates to medical treatment, that the Kings can provide. I'm cautiously optimistic that he can perform to near the same physical level as before. Couple that with the ball handling and skill level that he possessed and I think we definitely got a steal. Worth every penny to see if it pans out.
He was probably at 50% at Duke he literally had surgery 6 weeks before he came back
 
First couple times I saw it, I thought it was a goal tend but it was a clean block.

Giles' celebration on that second angle almost made it look like he came up lame and hurt his knee. Glad to see that he looks much more explosive than he did at Duke.
 

kingsboi

Hall of Famer
First couple times I saw it, I thought it was a goal tend but it was a clean block.

Giles' celebration on that second angle almost made it look like he came up lame and hurt his knee. Glad to see that he looks much more explosive than he did at Duke.
is that really that much of a surprise though? Think about the training staff in the pros versus College, plus I'm sure his diet is where it needs to be too compared to eating a "college" diet
 
I’ve thought for some time we redshirted Giles to protect WCS’s trade value as much as anything. This clip is illustrative of what Giles can do. Stops Fox’s penetration at the top of the arc and then dives to the rim for the block. I repeat: stops a top 3 fastest player in the league beyond the arc and recovers for the block.
 
is that really that much of a surprise though? Think about the training staff in the pros versus College, plus I'm sure his diet is where it needs to be too compared to eating a "college" diet
It's a surprise to me. I mean I wouldn't have been surprised if he wound up neutered like Al Jefferson or Amare Stoudamire either. You never know with injuries like this. The Kings rolled the dice that the Duke Giles wasn't the real Giles and so far at least athletically, they're right.