PDA

View Full Version : Giles Finding Strength in Tough Start



NM Duke Fan
02-17-2017, 07:56 AM
An exclusive interview with CBS, worth reading:

Ask his coaches, friends and former teammates, they’ll all tell you Harry Giles is one of the best kids, most optimistic people you’ll come across in basketball. His positive attitude is infectious; his teams have been so good because his basketball ability effortlessly links up with a cheery, humble attitude.

But in a recent interview with CBS Sports, Giles revealed the mental struggles he’s endured since getting to Duke. For the first time in his life, basketball and all that came with it wasn’t fun. He had doubts, and they weren’t just tied to his ever-lingering knee problems. He was forced to decide between playing college basketball or sitting out the season and declaring for the 2017 NBA Draft, a choice he never really wanted to be presented with in the first place.

“This year I had times where I let the game drain me,” Giles said. “I wasn’t really having fun with it. With all this rehab, (you) hear everybody talking about you and stuff, and I got caught into that at times. I can’t even lie. It was tough.”

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/dukes-harry-giles-is-living-in-the-shadow-of-his-former-self-but-he-sees-light/

Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
02-17-2017, 08:03 AM
An exclusive interview with CBS, worth reading:

Ask his coaches, friends and former teammates, they’ll all tell you Harry Giles is one of the best kids, most optimistic people you’ll come across in basketball. His positive attitude is infectious; his teams have been so good because his basketball ability effortlessly links up with a cheery, humble attitude.

But in a recent interview with CBS Sports, Giles revealed the mental struggles he’s endured since getting to Duke. For the first time in his life, basketball and all that came with it wasn’t fun. He had doubts, and they weren’t just tied to his ever-lingering knee problems. He was forced to decide between playing college basketball or sitting out the season and declaring for the 2017 NBA Draft, a choice he never really wanted to be presented with in the first place.

“This year I had times where I let the game drain me,” Giles said. “I wasn’t really having fun with it. With all this rehab, (you) hear everybody talking about you and stuff, and I got caught into that at times. I can’t even lie. It was tough.”

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/dukes-harry-giles-is-living-in-the-shadow-of-his-former-self-but-he-sees-light/

Wow. Brutally honest interview and great article.

Gotta root for the kid.

NYBri
02-17-2017, 08:28 AM
Good story. Most interesting part is his discussion of flow and how it's not there.

CDu
02-17-2017, 09:12 AM
I think this is a great article on the biggest challenge of returning from an ACL tear (or, in Giles' case, two ACL tears). It's really hard to get back to where you were mentally. It sounds like Giles is still working through that. And that's a big part of why he isn't right yet as a player. It's hard to know what you're supposed to do and where you're supposed to be from a team perspective when you're still trying to get your mind and instincts working the way they did before, and still trying to trust your body to do the things it is capable of doing. Hopefully for Giles, he is able to find his peace on the court and all his future decisions work out right for him. I can't imagine going from where he was through two major knee injuries during my teenage years. Just brutal.

OZZIE4DUKE
02-17-2017, 09:43 AM
I think this is a great article on the biggest challenge of returning from an ACL tear (or, in Giles' case, two ACL tears). It's really hard to get back to where you were mentally. It sounds like Giles is still working through that. And that's a big part of why he isn't right yet as a player. It's hard to know what you're supposed to do and where you're supposed to be from a team perspective when you're still trying to get your mind and instincts working the way they did before, and still trying to trust your body to do the things it is capable of doing. Hopefully for Giles, he is able to find his peace on the court and all his future decisions work out right for him. I can't imagine going from where he was through two major knee injuries during my teenage years. Just brutal.
Maybe he needs to give himself time to fully heal, regain his strength and reestablish his previously tremendous talents? Another year in college, where's he's playing for the joy of it, rather that the money, is what he needs. I doubt he'll go that route and stay at Duke another year, but it might be what's best for him. Nah, it'll never happen.

dukebluesincebirth
02-17-2017, 10:19 AM
Good article. It really makes me pull hard for this young man. A positive attitude can take you a long way in life, and Harry has maintained his while enduring the real struggle of fighting the mental demons. One of the most difficult concepts for humans to learn is acceptance, and Harry is going to have an advanced degree in this field at a very young age. This will only make him stronger. I thought it was interesting how he said he was struggling with acceptance early in the season, and it really affected his ability to contribute in games. He couldn't stand not being the high school Harry Giles that everyone kept talking about. But once he accepted that he's not going to become that high school form of himself overnight, I think we saw that acceptance manifested in his game performance. I now see a guy who understands the many different ways he can impact a basketball game as the current form of Harry Giles. And he's getting really good at it. He denies the post pass with a knack for anticipating the pass and using his extreme length to either get the steal or knock the ball away (done this several times recently). He emphasizes defensive rebounding and again, uses his natural length to snag some impressive boards. He's starting to understand defensive schemes better. He's accepted the gradual speed of improvement. His willingness to give what he currently has shows his commitment to Duke basketball, and as a fan I appreciate it.

Sir Stealth
02-17-2017, 10:20 AM
Great interview and article. Reading that is the first I've ever thought there was a possibility that Giles would come back for another season. My feeling is that at season's end he will probably want to stay another season to make sure he's back to being his full basketball "self" and be a star in college before leaving for the NBA. However, I also think that he'll ultimately decide that he has to go anyway, even if he'll be picked outside of the lottery, just to make sure he gets at least one NBA contract due to the risk of his getting injured again next year and not ever getting to have a career (which would be a true tragedy no matter what he decides). Hopefully if he does go pro after this year he will be able to regain the same level of confidence on the fly in the NBA and there will be no long term detriment to his development.

jv001
02-17-2017, 10:55 AM
Not that I wasn't rooting for Harry, but now I'm really going to root for him and not be critical of his play. Being away from competitive basketball for so long would set any young player back. But on top of being away from the game and having two serious knee surgeries(physical) there's the mental side of it as well. I'm glad he's a Duke Blue Devil because he's going to be a good representative for Duke University no matter what his decision will be after this season. We got the good Harry and not the bad one. GoDuke!

yancem
02-17-2017, 11:46 AM
Maybe he needs to give himself time to fully heal, regain his strength and reestablish his previously tremendous talents? Another year in college, where's he's playing for the joy of it, rather that the money, is what he needs. I doubt he'll go that route and stay at Duke another year, but it might be what's best for him. Nah, it'll never happen.

I know that your statement is with a little tongue and cheek but the truth is that if he could some how guarantee his health for next season, returning would absolutely be the best thing for him. Not only would it give him more time to get back to 100% and drastically improve his draft position and therefore his financial position but he would be able to save his body from the pounding of an 82 game season against grown I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this. men. Physically, mentally and financially it all would be better, IF he doesn't get hurt again. And therein lies the rub. In essence he would be making and $8-10 million gamble that he doesn't get injured again. I can't say I would advise my son to make that bet.

Of course, there is also the possibility that over the next couple of weeks the true Giles emerges and he starts to dominate college basketball the way we all hoped and his draft stock rises back into the top 3. If that happens, my arguments fall away pretty quickly.

Oh, and great article BTW. It is always neat to get a peek behind the curtain, so to speak.

UrinalCake
02-17-2017, 12:00 PM
The other side of that gamble is that if he does go this year and falls out of the lottery, he does not have a guaranteed contract. How much does he trust his ability to show in summer league play that he deserves a roster spot, given that he still might not be fully healthy? If he fails to show enough then he could be stuck in the D league and would likely regret not returning to school.

The above scenario isn't likely, but it's certainly possible.

CDu
02-17-2017, 12:05 PM
The other side of that gamble is that if he does go this year and falls out of the lottery, he does not have a guaranteed contract. How much does he trust his ability to show in summer league play that he deserves a roster spot, given that he still might not be fully healthy? If he fails to show enough then he could be stuck in the D league and would likely regret not returning to school.

The above scenario isn't likely, but it's certainly possible.

The bolded is not true. All first round picks (not just the lottery picks) get guaranteed contracts. I don't see any way Giles would fall out of the first round. He's going to get a guaranteed contract. Also, anyone drafting him knows they are drafting him based on potential. So he isn't going to have to prove his worth in summer league. Everyone in the NBA knows that his true value is probably 2-3 years away. Nobody is going to cut him in summer league, guaranteed contract or not. But, again, he's going to get a guaranteed contract if he goes pro this year.

Jeffrey
02-17-2017, 12:10 PM
I thought Harry made substantial progress from Feb. 11-15. Harry had unbelievable lateral quickness in HS and it improved substantially from Feb. 11-15. I still believe Harry will be playing well in March.

CDu
02-17-2017, 12:12 PM
I thought Harry made substantial progress from Feb. 11-15. Harry had unbelievable lateral quickness in HS and it improved substantially from Feb. 11-15. I still believe Harry will be playing well in March.

I agree. I think his game against UVa was the tip of the iceberg. He looked pretty good out there. I don't know that he's going to get more than 20 mpg (there is a minutes jam with Jefferson and Tatum at the 5 and 4). But those were 15-20 really strong minutes against UVa. Hopefully that was just him starting to find his sea legs, so to speak.

MChambers
02-17-2017, 12:20 PM
I know that your statement is with a little tongue and cheek but the truth is that if he could some how guarantee his health for next season, returning would absolutely be the best thing for him. Not only would it give him more time to get back to 100% and drastically improve his draft position and therefore his financial position but he would be able to save his body from the pounding of an 82 game season against grown I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this. men. Physically, mentally and financially it all would be better, IF he doesn't get hurt again. And therein lies the rub. In essence he would be making and $8-10 million gamble that he doesn't get injured again. I can't say I would advise my son to make that bet.

Of course, there is also the possibility that over the next couple of weeks the true Giles emerges and he starts to dominate college basketball the way we all hoped and his draft stock rises back into the top 3. If that happens, my arguments fall away pretty quickly.

Oh, and great article BTW. It is always neat to get a peek behind the curtain, so to speak.

His family could get insurance up to $10 million. I don't know how much it costs, and whether his family could afford it, but it is for some a way to guard against the risk of injury while remaining in college.

I'm not saying that's what he should do. It's an incredibly personal decision.

Harry seems like a great guy. I'm really glad he chose Duke.

CDu
02-17-2017, 12:24 PM
His family could get insurance up to $10 million. I don't know how much it costs, and whether his family could afford it, but it is for some a way to guard against the risk of injury while remaining in college.

I'm not saying that's what he should do. It's an incredibly personal decision.

Harry seems like a great guy. I'm really glad he chose Duke.

Something tells me that his injury history would make getting such a policy... unlikely. Or way more expensive. Or way less lucrative given that he is a higher-risk candidate.

And typically those types of policies are only for career-ending injuries, not draft-stock-damaging ones. Right?

Jeffrey
02-17-2017, 12:26 PM
I agree. I think his game against UVa was the tip of the iceberg. He looked pretty good out there. I don't know that he's going to get more than 20 mpg (there is a minutes jam with Jefferson and Tatum at the 5 and 4). But those were 15-20 really strong minutes against UVa. Hopefully that was just him starting to find his sea legs, so to speak.

I agree, Amile's foul issues enabled the PT. IMO, come March, 20 consistently strong minutes from Harry could put us in the Final Four.

ArnieMc
02-17-2017, 12:30 PM
His family could get insurance up to $10 million. I don't know how much it costs, and whether his family could afford it, but it is for some a way to guard against the risk of injury while remaining in college.

I'm not saying that's what he should do. It's an incredibly personal decision.

Harry seems like a great guy. I'm really glad he chose Duke.I think it's not a question of affording it. The premium is deferred and comes out of either his pro paycheck or his insurance settlement.

53n206
02-17-2017, 12:38 PM
Our Harry is quite a guy. Gone through so much. But he's getting better, and I believe that he will play some serious minutes and be a major contributor to the Duke team for the rest of this year. Tough decisions to make. Any insurance policy is going to be very expensive. But if he's able to play another year, and do without injury, he won't have any problem paying the policy premiums. I do believe that he will get the best possible advice as to remaining or leaving for the pros. We are all behind him.

On another site (Oklahoma football) there is a thread about Vince Young hiring a major agent to attempt a comeback. He's 33 yrs. old, and hasn't played since 2011. It proposed that he needs the money. He made many dollars but it was remarked that he had the old misfortune of a family friend ill advise him on investments. Wish him well.

Atlanta Duke
02-17-2017, 01:12 PM
Great story by Matt Norlander with the detail and candor that usually is disclosed in an interview with an older, professional athlete coming off a major injury. As posted above, definitely makes me want more than ever to hope all turns out well for Harry Giles.

I did not recall this sort of candor being typical for a NCAA player being interviewed by an outside publication and was wondering if the Duke sports information office had set this up. But then I remembered that Jeff Benedict at SI.com had done a series of detailed stories on Jabari Parker during his recruitment, at Duke, and when he announced for the draft.

To serve or not to serve?
http://www.si.com/vault/2012/05/21/106194136/to-serve-or-not-to-serve

The Education of Duke freshman phenom Jabari Parker
http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2014/02/19/jabari-parker

Exclusive Interview: Jabari Parker on NBA decision
http://www.si.com/nba/video/2014/04/17/exclusive-interview-jabari-parker-nba-decision

Turns out Matt Norlander wrote a story of similar detail, with the apparent cooperation of Harry Giles and his family, during his recruitment.

Life of Giles
The revival, and arrival, of Harry Giles III, the hottest prospect in the best recruiting class of the past decade.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/feature/25253439/the-revivial-and-arrival-of-harry-giles

This may be another indication of how sports, particularly basketball, is changing, with high profile athletes and their parent(s) developing a relationship with a writer for a national publication in high school. That allows the player to grant access after developing a level of trust and have control over how he is perceived in a manner not possible when interviews of college athletes were controlled by the program.

JasonEvans
02-17-2017, 01:32 PM
I hate to feed the (apparently) irrational belief that Harry might come back for a second season, but this line from the article did stick out to me:


I only played two years in high school. I can’t can’t miss another season. I can’t really afford that, especially at Duke, and it’s college. Stay one year, two years, you don’t know how long it is.

-Jason "just saying... seems like he has not 100% made up his mind where he will play his basketball next year" Evans

flyingdutchdevil
02-17-2017, 01:52 PM
I hate to feed the (apparently) irrational belief that Harry might come back for a second season, but this line from the article did stick out to me:



-Jason "just saying... seems like he has not 100% made up his mind where he will play his basketball next year" Evans

Ingram didn't make up his mind until the end. Jabari didn't make up his mind until the end. Kyrie didn't make up his mind until the end.

Lip service or truly undecided? Don't know, but I do know that Harry is gone after this year.

Skitzle
02-17-2017, 02:00 PM
I hate to feed the (apparently) irrational belief that Harry might come back for a second season, but this line from the article did stick out to me:



-Jason "just saying... seems like he has not 100% made up his mind where he will play his basketball next year" Evans

I'm of mind to say the article itself is really just a PR piece to get him into the draft.

Bad season, great player, strong resiliant character. Some scout will read this and bump him up a notch on his board.

Duke set up this interview and knows how to tell the tale.

Giles is one and done, the hope is to guarantee a lottery pick

IrishDevil
02-17-2017, 02:07 PM
I hate to feed the (apparently) irrational belief that Harry might come back for a second season, but this line from the article did stick out to me:



-Jason "just saying... seems like he has not 100% made up his mind where he will play his basketball next year" Evans

I am always of two minds when reading lines like the one you quoted, Jason. First, I am an optimistic and idealistic person by nature, so I think that THIS player is the one whose love of college/love of Duke/developmental needs/injury situation/character will finally push him to another year of school instead of being lured by the money of the NBA. Then, my rational side kicks in, I remember Luol, Kyrie, and Jabari, think of the rookie pay scale, recall that the NBA drafts on potential, and resign myself to the freshman's departure.

...but maybe Harry really IS the one for whom it makes the most sense to stay? Maybe?

Maybe I'm not so resigned as I think.

Edouble
02-17-2017, 02:07 PM
I'm of mind to say the article itself is really just a PR piece to get him into the draft.

Bad season, great player, strong resiliant character. Some scout will read this and bump him up a notch on his board.

Duke set up this interview and knows how to tell the tale.

Giles is one and done, the hope is to guarantee a lottery pick

I agree with your take except for the "bad season" part.

1) There is still much basketball left to be played.

2) I think Harry's season is solidly in the "fair" territory. I'd say that's his floor at this point. He has recently bumped that up into "good" territory this month. I still think the sky is the limit. We may not, as Coach Capel said, see the Harry of old this season, but I still think, depending on how March turns out, that Harry could still turn in a "really good", possibly "great" season, or at least a "great" March.

Edouble
02-17-2017, 02:08 PM
I am always of two minds when reading lines like the one you quoted, Jason. First, I am an optimistic and idealistic person by nature, so I think that THIS player is the one whose love of college/love of Duke/developmental needs/injury situation/character will finally push him to another year of school instead of being lured by the money of the NBA. Then, my rational side kicks in, I remember Luol, Kyrie, and Jabari, think of the rookie pay scale, recall that the NBA drafts on potential, and resign myself to the freshman's departure.

...but maybe Harry really IS the one for whom it makes the most sense to stay? Maybe?

Maybe I'm not so resigned as I think.

We will be lucky to get Bolden back, if we do. Harry is gone.

tux
02-17-2017, 02:13 PM
I'm of mind to say the article itself is really just a PR piece to get him into the draft.

Bad season, great player, strong resiliant character. Some scout will read this and bump him up a notch on his board.

Duke set up this interview and knows how to tell the tale.

Giles is one and done, the hope is to guarantee a lottery pick

A pretty cynical take. Giles is an interesting story due to his stature (and myth) from HS, compared to the game-to-game struggles as he tries to approach his former level of play.

My prediction is that Giles will continue to improve with some up and down statistical outputs, with at least a couple great games thrown in between now and the end of the season. And those 1-2 great games (hopefully more) will shoot him right back to the top part of the first round. And then he'll leave, as predicted... Scouts just need to see that he can reach those heights again IMO.

IrishDevil
02-17-2017, 02:14 PM
We will be lucky to get Bolden back, if we do. Harry is gone.

I know, I know - I just won't be resigned to that fact for a while yet.

In the meantime, I will just enjoy the ride!

Olympic Fan
02-17-2017, 02:19 PM
It actually looks good for getting Bolden and Frank Jackson back (both were potential lottery picks before the season).

On the other hand, Kennard is suddenly in play.

Take it FWIW, but I talked to an NBA scout last week and from what he hears, Tatum, Allen and Giles are all gone ... Bolden and Jackson are not on the NBA radar.

Save your hopes and prayers for Kennard -- he's definitely a possibility, but he could definitely stay for another year.

PS Just checked the two main mock draft sites. NBA.net projects Tatum (6), Giles (11) Kennard (21) in the first round, along with Dennis Smith, John Collins, Dwayne Bacon, Justin Jackson and Tony Bradley all as first round picks. Draftexpress lists Tatum (5), Giles (19), Kennard (23) and Allen (5 in the second round), along with Smith, Issac, Collins, Lydon, Mitchell and Jackson in the first round.

JetpackJesus
02-17-2017, 02:30 PM
Ingram didn't make up his mind until the end. Jabari didn't make up his mind until the end. Kyrie didn't make up his mind until the end.

Lip service or truly undecided? Don't know, but I do know that Harry is gone after this year.

I think you are right. But I also think Harry's situation is unique compared to Duke's other recent true OAD players. The benefit to him is far more than the typical fan argument, "He could really benefit from one more year of development to improve/polish his game for the pros." In reality, staying another year could only cost those OAD players money and delay them getting to that second contract by a year. There were no real pros to them staying from a business/professional standpoint.

With Harry, as of right now, there are legitimate pros to staying one more year. Everything I say after this sentence could obviously change if Harry continues to progress and impress through February and March. His draft stock could easily shoot back up depending on how he performs going forward.

With that caveat in mind: In Harry's case, staying one more year could actually make him millions of dollars more over the course of his first contract. Right now he likely would not be a lottery pick. He might even be a "late first rounder." If he stays one more year, gets healthy, and plays up to his potential, he will be a top-5 pick next year. That could mean upwards of $2-3 million more per year over his rookie contract. That's not insignificant. Of course, coming back comes with the obvious risk of injury, which is a big deal given Harry's history. Harry also would have to truly believe that he's fully capable of being the player everyone projected him to be in HS. I believe he still is, but he basically says in the interview he isn't all the way back mentally, yet. So Harry needs to believe it, too.

I think it's unlikely Harry returns, but unlike most of Duke's recent OAD players, Harry actually has legitimate reasons to consider it.

*EDIT* I just read Olympic Fan's posts on projected draft positions. If Harry is still a projected lottery pick, which was not the sense I had going into this post, then he should go.

Jeffrey
02-17-2017, 02:55 PM
Take it FWIW, but I talked to an NBA scout last week and from what he hears, Tatum, Allen and Giles are all gone ... Bolden and Jackson are not on the NBA radar.

PS Just checked the two main mock draft sites. NBA.net projects Tatum (6), Giles (11) Kennard (21) in the first round, along with Dennis Smith, John Collins, Dwayne Bacon, Justin Jackson and Tony Bradley all as first round picks. Draftexpress lists Tatum (5), Giles (19), Kennard (23) and Allen (5 in the second round), along with Smith, Issac, Collins, Lydon, Mitchell and Jackson in the first round.

Do those mock drafts truly lead you to believe the scout is correct and Allen is gone? Allen partially derailed this season and will have less competition in next year's draft. Allen may have had a better chance going in last year's first round.

budwom
02-17-2017, 02:58 PM
Do those mock drafts truly lead you to believe the scout is correct and Allen is gone? Allen partially derailed this season and will have less competition in next year's draft. Allen may have had a better chance going in last year's first round.

I think you can count on Allen being gone...he's going to graduate...he's packed four years of experiences (good and bad) into a three year Duke career. Hopefully some more good stuff to come.

Jeffrey
02-17-2017, 03:01 PM
I think you can count on Allen being gone...he's going to graduate...he's packed four years of experiences (good and bad) into a three year Duke career. Hopefully some more good stuff to come.

I agree it was clearly the preseason plan (shown by the academics). However, getting a Duke graduate degree and significantly increasing his chances to go in the 1st round would not be an irrational consideration or decision. Where do you think he would have gone in last year's draft?

BandAlum83
02-17-2017, 05:17 PM
A pretty cynical take. Giles is an interesting story due to his stature (and myth) from HS, compared to the game-to-game struggles as he tries to approach his former level of play.

My prediction is that Giles will continue to improve with some up and down statistical outputs, with at least a couple great games thrown in between now and the end of the season. And those 1-2 great games (hopefully more) will shoot him right back to the top part of the first round. And then he'll leave, as predicted... Scouts just need to see that he can reach those heights again IMO.

Harry's story is a movie in the making..All it needs is the happy ending. Final 4 MVP? NBA Allstar? NBA Championship? NBA MVP?

Depends on when you write the final chapter.

WVDUKEFAN
02-17-2017, 06:36 PM
I don't think it's a guarantee that Giles goes. I think Bolden would be crazy to leave or a.GM would be crazy to draft him. He's relatively unproven at this point.

JayZee
02-17-2017, 06:39 PM
So Harry's decision from a purely money perspective is maybe not so clear.

I ran a SUPER simple analysis, comparing the present value of a #20 pick in 2017 versus a #1 in 2018. I assumed in both cases that the player would start his 5th season at KD's current salary (26 million) and grow 10% a year for 10 years. So a 14 year NBA career at near top dollar. I know the cap will probably increase, but just to keep it simple.

The PV of those two cash flows came out to within 2 million of each other, with the 2018 start being the higher one. The difference of starting at 5 million versus 1.2 or so is a pretty big headwind, even though going early gets "the clock" going.

On the spectrum, no where near enough analysis even if this were only a financial decision, but I was surprised it came out so closely.

OldPhiKap
02-17-2017, 06:49 PM
I liked when this thread was about Harry, not the after-season decision he will need to make.

davekay1971
02-17-2017, 07:07 PM
Harry's story is a movie in the making..All it needs is the happy ending. Final 4 MVP? NBA Allstar? NBA Championship? NBA MVP?

Depends on when you write the final chapter.

I see a steadily improving Harry and rock solid Amile sharing duties in the post throughout the ACC and NCAA tournaments, with the two of them anchoring a nasty defense, controlling the boards, and providing solid offense as Duke follows an ACC tournament championship with the University's 6th Natty. They both ride off into the sunset (and the NBA), to much success and deserved acclaim.

K, of course, sticks around because 7 is better than 6.

PS: OPK...why enjoy the season when we can fret about the post-season?

OldPhiKap
02-17-2017, 07:10 PM
I see a steadily improving Harry and rock solid Amile sharing duties in the post throughout the ACC and NCAA tournaments, with the two of them anchoring a nasty defense, controlling the boards, and providing solid offense as Duke follows an ACC tournament championship with the University's 6th Natty. They both ride off into the sunset (and the NBA), to much success and deserved acclaim.

K, of course, sticks around because 7 is better than 6.

PS: OPK...why enjoy the season when we can fret about the post-season?

I need to know if I should include him in my 2017-18 minutes projection thread or not.

uh_no
02-17-2017, 07:55 PM
I don't think it's a guarantee that Giles goes. I think Bolden would be crazy to leave or a.GM would be crazy to draft him. He's relatively unproven at this point.

he's big and tall and can tell a basketball from a watermelon. (and more, I'm sure...). Not to mention he's shown a knack for blocking shots.

that's more than enough potential to get drafted.

wallyman
02-17-2017, 08:26 PM
I view the Harry version of the will he stay or go
melodrama differently than all the others. I want him to go.
Absent His draft stock collapsing, it's clearly in his
best interest to go and that by a wide margin trumps whatever
he might mean for next years team. With his
injury history, were he my son, it's a no brainer
to go. I hope he has a long career and does turn
Into Chris Webber or Kevin Garnett but he shouldn't play for free next year unless he has an
insurance policy that sets him for life no matter what -- and even then I'm not so sure. Seems
like a great kid. Hope he wins a Natty this year and kills it in the league for many years after that.

davekay1971
02-17-2017, 08:57 PM
I need to know if I should include him in my 2017-18 minutes projection thread or not.

Hey is that up yet? Because I've got a pretty rocking Excel spreadsheet going on that, covering all the variables in the upcoming draft. I mean, if Grayson doesn't go, he soaks up a solid 30 minutes a game, but if he goes, I think Frank Jackson, if he stays, will be getting most of those, but if Frank goes, Kennard's going to be logging an easy 45 minutes a game. I've submitted it to K, but so far no reply. He's probably waiting until the season's over to begin plotting his minutes decisions, and hopefully he doesn't shorten his bench next season, because playing 10 deep is the key to winning a Natty.