The Sacramento Kings have had bad luck with the NBA Draft, with multiple recent first-round selections not panning out as expected. Lottery picks such as C Marvin Bagley III, C Willie Cauley-Stein, and G Nik Stauskas are just a few over the past ten years that never made a difference in Sacramento.
In the 2017 draft, the Kings took a chance by trading for the draft rights of big man Harry Giles III, who was selected with the 20th pick. Giles immediately faced injury problems as the young big man struggled to stay on the court, playing just 104 games through three seasons in Sacramento.
Although Giles was so talented, his inability to stay healthy drove him out of the NBA. Giles' last NBA regular season minutes were on May 24th, 2021, with the Portland Trail Blazers, as the 25-year-old has looked to make a comeback to the league ever since.
His hard work has finally paid off, as Giles has earned a roster spot with the Brooklyn Nets. Giles made the most of his preseason opportunities in Brooklyn, as in his lone start, he dropped 16 points on 8-10 shooting with an impressive ten rebounds, all in just 21 minutes of action.
Giles is the definition of determination, as all of Sacramento should hope the 6'11" big man can make a difference and revive his career in Brooklyn. Even though Giles never lived up to the Kings' expectations after being drafted, his comeback story is bigger than Sacramento basketball.
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