Duke's Harry Giles Declares for 2017 NBA Draft After Freshman Season

Harry Giles failed to live up to the hype that surrounded him as the No. 2 recruit in his class, per Scout, but that didn't stop him from declaring for the 2017 NBA draft after his freshman season at Duke.

Duke Basketball shared the news on its Twitter page Tuesday:    

Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski addressed Giles' decision and talked about his future, per Duke Basketball:

"

With his uplifting personality and love for the game, Harry Giles has been a joy to coach. He is only beginning to scratch the surface of how good he can be on the basketball court. Harry has an exciting NBA future ahead of him, and we are here to fully support him as a member of our brotherhood.

"

Whichever team drafts Giles will certainly hope Coach K is correct because the 6'10" forward's statistical production in 2016-17 didn't suggest he has a particularly bright future in the NBA. He averaged just 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game.

To his credit, he dealt with a knee injury that prevented him from taking the floor during Duke's first 11 contests of the season. At that point, Giles had to work his way into a talented frontcourt rotation that also included Jayson Tatum and Amile Jefferson, and he never fully caught up to his 5-star status.

Giles didn't score a single point in the Blue Devils' two NCAA tournament games.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman listed him at No. 25 on his recent big board of draft prospects and noted "he struggled to add any confidence or skills. The NBA D-League and professional trainers could help."

If they do, Giles can start delivering on the potential that made him such a highly regarded recruit.