This article will list the two reasons why Sacramento Kings fans should be patient when it comes to the development of Harry Giles.
The Sacramento Kings are 31 games into their 2018-2019 campaign. To no surprise, there have been ups and downs for the purple and white throughout the season. But let us look into one of the negatives which has been Harry Giles.
Last season, Giles took a redshirt rookie season due to recovering from the plague of knee injuries he has suffered in the past. But with that said, it did not stop the former Blue Devil from exciting Kings fans.
During last season, Giles made noise within the organization due to the versatility, aggressiveness, and skillset he showed when practicing with his teammates. And now that Giles is completely healthy, he has a good shot of being one of the core players for the Kings’ future.
Even though Giles was heavily hyped for this year, he has experienced growing pains immediately. In 21 games so far, he is averaging 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per contest while shooting just 47.6% from the floor. Even though Giles has not been a good asset for the Kings yet, it does not mean he will not become a player that the Kings will enjoy watching on the court later on.
So with that being said, here are my reasons for why Kings fans should remain patient this season when it comes to the play of Harry Giles.
Reason #1: Giles’ Absence From Basketball
Giles’ journey to the NBA has been interesting. He was once the top high-school prospect in his class and a guy that was considered a shoo-in to be in the NBA. But due to multiple ACL injuries, it has stalled his development.
Giles did end up playing at the college powerhouse in Duke University, but he was definitely not the same player that scouts fell in love with. But due to the hope that Giles could get his knees back to full strength, he was still drafted in the first round by the Kings, but at the 20th overall pick.
Because Giles played little time at Duke and took a redshirt year last season, it has been a good minute since he has played in an actual competitive basketball game. To be more specific, it has been well over a year. For that, he deserves time to get his feet wet and adapt back to the environment.
So far this campaign, Giles numbers have not been great as he is averaging around five points, three rebounds, and one assist a game. But with that said, strides have gradually been made by the 20-year old which gives the Kings and their fans hope that he can be a solid contributor during the team’s rebuild.
Reason #2: Giles’ Flashes of Potential
Another reason why Kings fans should stay committed to Giles is that he has already shown what his potential could be as a player. During the NBA Summer League games and preseason, Giles was able to showcase his versatility and value on the court.
On offense, Giles was smooth whether it was posting up in the interior, shooting from the midrange area, or throwing dimes at his teammates for easy scores. Defensively, he was a badger as he was not afraid to get physical with his opponents which gave the Kings some edge to their squad.
To be fair, Giles’ best moments as an NBA player happened against lesser competition, but the potential is definitely there. The athleticism, the skillset, and even the basketball IQ are already present when watching the young King play.
The more reps and minutes that Harry gets on the court, the more the game will start to slow down for him. And once that moment happens, I am sure that the Kings and their fans will be pleased with what type of player Harry Giles could eventually be.
De’Aaron Fox also did not have the best of rookie years, but now that he has one year of NBA basketball under his belt, look at him now.