What does this latest setback mean for Harry Giles?

[x_image type=”circle” float=”left” src=”http://www.dukeblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/harry-giles.png” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover”]It was announced this past week that star Duke freshman Harry Giles had undergone arthroscopy surgery on his left knee. This is the third knee surgery for the talented freshman out of North Carolina. As per usual, the Internet was abuzz with opinions, cautionary tales, worries, angst, and the occasional troll. What is certain is that Giles did suffer a setback in his rehab, but what isn’t known is the extent of it. A cursory glance at what this type of surgery means (besides the apparent 6 week recovery time) is that it’s used to correct any tweaks, pain, or discomfort, and doesn’t mean there was an actual re-injuring of the knee.

Knee arthroscopy is a surgical technique that can diagnose and treat problems in the knee joint. During the procedure, your surgeon will make a very small incision and insert a tiny camera — called an arthroscope — into your knee. This allows them to view the inside of the joint on a screen.

What does it mean for Giles?

Well, no one can really know what it means. It’s obvious the young man has had more than his fair share of devastating injuries but he, the Duke medical staff, and the coaches are optimistic and are in no rush. Giles will have zero pressure from the staff or the team and no chances will be taken with his health or his future. What I’ve said all along is that Giles is in the best possible place, no matter what scenario unfolds. As far as the NBA draft and his future, obviously his injuries are a concern but players like Nerlens Noel who had similar injuries have recovered fully and are having productive careers in the league. Some will say Giles should sit the season, heal, and prepare for the draft – some will say that he will need to prove to NBA teams that he has fully recovered and has moved beyond his rash of injuries. The overarching concern is obviously for him to be 100% physically and mentally.

What does this injury mean for Duke?

Well obviously, Duke would prefer to have the full complement of its roster, especially with an immense talent like Harry Giles in Durham. With Duke’s depth in the middle, Duke will still have a front court better than nearly if not every team they play. With 5th year senior Amile Jefferson anchoring the front court along with Marques Bolden and Chase Jeter, Duke is in great shape. Jefferson, before having his season cut short due to injury, averaged a double-double last year and was emerging as a consistent force on both ends of the floor. Chase Jeter, despite having a rough go of it his freshman year, showed signs of promise and should, because of the front court depth, show marked improvement. The adage that iron sharpens iron should come into play with Duke finally having enough bodies to run adequate practices. Freshman Marques Bolden brings a polished all-around skill set to Duke and his ability to affect the game on both ends of the floor will be huge in Giles’ absence. Like Giles, Bolden does not want to be a stationary big and he, either with Giles or in his stead, should add a lot to this year’s squad. The silver lining to Giles having to take a little longer will be that the complementary bigs will be thrust into more minutes. This could very well pay dividends later in the season when substitutions have to be made for one reason or another.

Suffice to say that Duke with Giles is dangerous, but if anyone underestimates this team because of the freshman being injured – do so at your own peril. Duke is loaded and Giles, when he returns, will be the icing on the cake.