Orlando Magic 2017 NBA Draft Preview: Who is Harry Giles?
By Ryan Doyle
Draft Sites Say
Jonathan Givony & Mike Schmitz, DraftExpress
"Regardless of whether or not his athleticism reverts back to what it once was, Giles has outstanding measurements that should allow him to play the center position with ease if he can find a way to put more bulk on his promising frame. Even without the same quick-twitch and powerful explosiveness that he showcased early on in his career, he’s still an agile athlete who is light on his feet and mobile running the floor. There is a distinct possibility that he’ll be able to shed the rust he was noticeably saddled with at Duke, and undoubtedly caused him to lose a step, which would elevate him into a different tier of prospect."
Clayton Crowe, NBADraft.net
"Giles is an extremely gifted athlete, arguably the best big man prospect in this entire draft when healthy, something he hasn’t been in quite a while … Looks the part of an NBA big man with his frame … An explosive leaper even with the injuries to his knees. . . . Multiple knee surgeries including two ACL tears (both knees) and an MCL tear (left) before graduating high school is a huge question mark with regards to the outlook of Giles’ career. No team wants to draft the next Greg Oden and players with injury histories like that of Giles always raise red flags to scouts and GM’s who are putting their jobs on the line with every draft pick and free agent signing … His ability to explode with contact seemed affected … As far as Giles’ looks on the court, he seemed to get lost at times during his freshman season and was almost afraid to do certain things."
Trevor Magnotti, The Step Back
"It’s not a stretch to say Harry Giles had the worst college basketball season of any player in the 2017 NBA Draft pool. The Duke forward entered the season as a top-10 recruit in college basketball, and there was plenty of reason to believe he was going to be Duke’s best player this year. He debuted at fourth on our first big board of the year, and there were outlets who considered him for the top-3. Giles entered college with impressive physical tools and a resume of solid production in high school events, and despite a history of ACL tears in both knees, looked the part of a high-motor big who could be a sort of “Blake Griffin at the 5” player."