The top five rated recruits in Duke basketball history will surprise you
By Nickeem Khan
Forward. Harry Giles. Scouting Report. Class of 2016. 4. player. 434. Pick Analysis
Harry Giles was one of the most polarizing prospects we had ever seen. With Jayson Tatum committing to Duke in 2016 as well, fans were beyond themselves on the potential of this team (especially me). Sadly, Giles had to deal with multiple injuries at a young age, including an ACL injury. He hasn’t been able to eclipse his high school productivity since.
Coming out of high school, Giles was the No. 1 ranked player in the nation, according to the ESPN Top 100, and was a 0.9996 rated recruit. He tore his ACL in his senior year and wasn’t able to play basketball.
But it was his junior season when he showed the nation just how good he was. He averaged 23.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 3 blocks, and he was able to lead Wesleyan Trojans to an appearance in the State Championships. He earned First Team All-USA honors and would then shortly make his commitment to Duke.
Due to limited minutes behind Amile Jefferson, Giles wasn’t able to fully flourish during his time at Duke. He averaged a mere 3.9 points per game in less than 12 minutes a game. He would declare for the draft at the end of the 2016-17 season and was selected by the Sacramento Kings No. 20 overall.