First words from Harry Giles since leaving Kings for Blazers: ‘I LOVE Sacramento forever’
With some mesmerizing skills and a history of heartbreak, Harry Giles III came to California’s capital city by way of Duke as a 19-year-old kid from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Sacramento welcomed Giles with open arms and embraced his story when the Kings drafted him in 2017. It was love at first sight. Fans knew Giles had suffered some injuries. They also knew he was once the nation’s No. 1 prospect in a fabled 2016 recruiting class that featured Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum, Lonzo Ball, Bam Adebayo, De’Aaron Fox, Markelle Fultz, Miles Bridges and more.
Kings fans prayed for his healing when Giles sat out the 2017-18 season to rehabilitate his knees and showered him with affection every time he stepped on the floor over the past two seasons. Giles reciprocated the love at every opportunity, expressing his appreciation for fans and his gratitude to the community for making him, his family and his friends feel right at home.
That love has not been lost, but Kings fans will have to settle for a long-distance relationship with Giles now. The 22-year-old free-agent center signed a one-year, $1.7 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday after the Kings declined to pick up his option for the 2020-21 season.
Giles wouldn’t even acknowledge the breakup on social media for a couple of days, but he broke his silence Tuesday, offering his first words on the subject.
“I LOVE Sacramento forever,” Giles tweeted. “I mean that.”
Kings fans responded to Giles as they always do — en masse — with kindness, love and support.
@YouFeelMeeeeee tweeted: “Love you Harry! We rootin for you Big Dawg!”
@CaliBoyRez: “Always gonna be rooting for you! @HGiiizzle ball out like crazy bro.”
@LORD_JIMOTHY: “916 loves you back.”
@JosephThomas4: “You’ll always be one of us Harry.”
@Hardiman_12: “It’s been a long time since I’ve been this upset about a Kings player leaving. Giles was one of a kind. Always rooting for you @HGiiizzle.”
@sackingsfaninj1: “WE’LL LOVE YOU FOREVER TOO.”
@Ryan_S_Goff: “Giles is a King forever both as a player and as a person.”
Nation’s top prospect
Giles was projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft when he signed with Duke in 2016. He rose to the top of his class despite tearing his left ACL, MCL and meniscus while playing for USA Basketball prior to his sophomore season in high school.
ESPN recruiting analysts offered this description: “From a physical standpoint he reminds us of a young Chris Webber (Michigan/NBA). Although not quite as skilled as Webber at this stage he has the same tremendous hands and feet. He displays a nice touch in the lane but can also throw down dunks on cue. Heady passer for a big man and thinks the game well. Tremendous upside as a high-post four man.”
Giles tore his right ACL and missed his senior season at Oak Hill Academy, but Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski wanted him anyway. Duke announced Giles would miss up to six weeks after having arthroscopic surgery to clean up loose cartilage and scar tissue remnants in his left knee in October 2016. Giles returned to appear in 26 minutes, averaging 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in a limited role. Then he declared for the draft.
Kings draft Giles
The Kings traded the No. 10 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for the 15th and 20th picks. They used the No. 15 pick to select Justin Jackson from North Carolina. With the 20th pick, they chose Giles.
The Kings held Giles out of the 2017-18 season so trainers could strengthen his legs to prevent future injuries. He never appeared in a game during his rookie season, but he raised eyebrows in closed-door workouts with the team.
When Giles made his debut in 2018-19, fans began to see glimpses of the exquisite skills that made him so special. He liked to operate from the high post as Webber once did for the Kings, reading the defense, looking for cutters, throwing passes with extraordinary vision, precision and touch.
“He’s such a smart player,” Bogdan Bogdanovic, who just left Sacramento to join the Atlanta Hawks, once said of Giles. “He knows how to play and he makes the game look easy for all of us, not just for him. ... For me, he’s a mix of Draymond (Green) and Chris Webber. I like his IQ. He reads the game well.”
Giles hasn’t played at that level with enough consistency, but he has produced games that elicited those kinds of comparisons. He averaged 7.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in two seasons for the Kings, but in October 2019 former general manager Vlade Divac declined to pick up his $3.97 million option for the 2020-21 season.
Sacramento says goodbye
The love affair between Giles and this city is one of the more endearing things we’ve seen in 35 years of Kings basketball in Sacramento. You have Jerry Reynolds, Gary Gerould, The Greatest Show on Court, that time Doug Christie punched a Laker in the face, an incredible triumph over relocation, and now you have the heart of Harry Giles III.
Giles loves Kings fans and Kings fans love him, too. They love his fire, his energy, the unforgettable facial expressions and, oh boy, those sensational passes. They love the dunks, the stares and the glares, the way he orchestrates the crowd.
Kings fans love Giles for who he is and what they still believe he can be, but basketball is a business. The business of basketball is the one thing that could come between Giles and his fans in Sacramento, but fans are still reaching out from a distance.
@JasonLTimmons: “From the heart, thank you for coming out to the Center For Fathers & Families (and) talking to my basketball/football team. Those young men will never forget your visit.”
@mikeunderdog55: “We love you man! Never forget! We are proud of you and EVERYTHING you achieved.”
@Ladybrd44: “I am crying. My fiancé and I love you so much, @HGiiizzle. We always saw and felt your heart. We will be following your career wherever you go.”
This story was originally published November 26, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
