Students gathered around a single phone, anticipation is buzzing through the air about what is next to come…Duke.
Five-star recruit and Winston-Salem native Harry Giles announced that he has chosen to take his basketball talents to Duke University over Wake Forest University, University of Kentucky, Kansas University and University of North Carolina. The lunchroom erupts with opinions of where he should have attended and why he should have gone there, but in all honesty his decision will only bring short lived success.
Giles’ decision is only going to bring short success because his college career will more than likely only be one year long. Six of the top ten ESPN recruits from the most recent NCAA freshmen class left after one year for the NBA.
Giles will join the number two recruit Jayson Tatum next year at Duke, headlining another great recruiting class from Coach Mike Kryzewski. He will follow Duke Alumni and NBA first-round picks, Jabari Parker, Jahlil Okafor, Justice Winslow, Tyus Jones and Rodney Hood, just a handful of the NBA talent that Duke has put out in recent years. Giles will make an impact at Duke, but unless he performs at an All-American standard, he will get lost among all of the talent in Duke Basketball history.
Giles’ biggest impact would have easily been at Wake Forest, a small ACC school that is in a rebuilding process with new head coach and former NBA center Danny Manning. Giles would have received coaching he can’t get anywhere else; with the knowledge of a center that knows what it takes to be the best at his position. Giles would have changed the whole culture of Wake Forest basketball, taking it from a mediocre ACC team to a possible NCAA tournament contender.
Giles, at Kentucky, would have been a typical story; Head Coach John Calipari taking a top recruit and immediately turning them into a top NBA prospect. Kentucky has 21 current NBA players and five of those are from the latest draft class. Especially with the success of DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky alumni and arguably the best NBA big man, Giles could have easily carried on the Kentucky tradition.
Giles attending UNC would have been a hit or miss situation, considering the possible sanctions that are looming. The decision to play it safe and not take the chance that he wouldn’t be able to play in the NCAA tournament due to punishment, is a safe route to take.
Kansas was a long shot to begin with, the farthest away from home of all the possible destinations. Kansas also hasn’t had the recent success of NBA big men like the other choices have and this might have influenced Giles in his decision.
Giles might not have chosen to be the hometown hero that he was cracked up to be at Wake Forest, but he has chosen to set Duke up for a strong 2016-2017 season.