Potential Bucks draft pick profile: Harry Giles
Leading up to the NBA Draft, FOX Sports Wisconsin will take a look at some options for the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 17 overall pick. Next up in the series is Duke's Harry Giles.
Previously: Jarrett Allen | Terrance Ferguson
FRAME: 6-foot-10 1/2, 232 pounds (7-3 1/4 wingspan)
POSITION: Center
2016-17 STATISTICAL AVERAGES: 11.5 minutes, 3.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, 57.7 FG%, 0.0 3PT%, 50.0 FT%.
TROPHY CASE: As a junior in high school, Giles was named first-team All-USA by USA Today. He won three gold medals playing for USA Basketball at FIBA championships in 2013, '14 and '15. Giles was rated the consensus No. 1 Class of 2016 high school recruit by the Recruiting Services Consensus Index.
TALE OF THE TAPE: Playing on an experienced Duke team and rehabbing from an injury in part limited Giles' playing time in his only season with the Blue Devils, although he still was second on the team in dunks with 15.
Giles' standout game -- and there aren't many to choose from -- came vs. Georgia Tech on Jan. 4 when he had 10 points and 12 rebounds in just 17 minutes. Giles flashed his game against North Carolina in the ACC tournament when he posted six points, seven rebounds and four blocks in 15 minutes.
However, he played 20 minutes or more just once -- 24 vs. Boston College, when he had a season-high 12 points -- and in two NCAA tournament games (a win over Troy and a loss to South Carolina) Giles didn't score and had but four rebounds in a combined 15 minutes.
GET TO KNOW HIM: Giles burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2013 when he was named the MaxPrep National Freshman of the Year. Unfortunately, also in 2013 he tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee while playing at the FIBA Americas 2016 Championships, which caused him to miss his entire sophomore year.
Giles returned with a strong junior year but in his first game as a senior he tore his ACL in his right knee. Nevertheless, Giles was named to play in the Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Summit in 2016, although he couldn't play due to the injury. He had to have another surgery in October 2016 on his knee and wouldn't play his first collegiate game until Dec. 19, 2016.
WHY IT WORKS: Oh, all that potential and upside. This could be like landing a lottery pick in the middle of the draft. An outstanding athlete with good measurables (his max vertical at the NBA Combine was 32 1/2 inches), he could be the kind of rim-protector the Bucks have been looking for.
WHY IT DOESN’T: First, he's clearly a project -- do the Bucks want to go through another year of that with a big man? Second, well, those knee injuries. Will he ever become the player which had him rated so highly? Needless to say, this pick would come with more risks than usual.
FILM ROOM: Giles displayed a lot of skills in high school, showing a knack for inside play as well as driving and passing like a guard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me1LjwDQXfM
https://twitter.com/HGizzle1/status/728624888068583426
The problem is, as hinted at above, it's harder to find highlights of him from college -- mainly because he didn't play much. Nevertheless, you can see why teams might be tantalized.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=028Dj1XvAMc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqlPKO32Y7E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ixd3br9N3k
