2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 21: Malik Monk to the Sixers

Harry Giles made it official this week, declaring for the draft after just one season at Duke. Once the top-rated recruit in the class, Giles played just 11.5 minutes per game for the Blue Devils as he struggled to recovery from two knee surgeries and find his place on a roster that regularly just played one big man at a time.

Giles’ biggest strength — at his healthiest — is his defensive potential. It’s something that he showed on occasion at Duke by averaging 2.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per 40 minutes. Giles also grabbed 13.3 rebounds per 40 minutes while posting a 4.4 Defensive Box Plus/Minus score. There were some clear limitations where either rust or a lack of practice time affected Giles, though. He struggled defending pick-and-roll and lacked some of the lateral mobility that made him such an attractive prospect in high school. If those things can come back with more time on the court, then Giles can be the defensive anchor everyone once thought he could be.

Obviously much of what Giles can ultimately contribute at the NBA level will depend on how well he performs during medical tests leading up to the draft.

Learn more about Harry Giles at The Step Back.