Josh Jackson, from Justin-Siena/Prolific Prep Academy in Napa, Calif., dunks against the East team during the McDonald's All-American boys basketball game, Wednesday, March 30, 2016, in Chicago.
ZACH FISHER
@ZACHARYCFISHER
HARRY GILES
Harry Giles and Josh Jackson were regarded as two of the best prospects in their class last year. On ESPN's top 100 list for high school prospects, Giles was listed as the overall No. 1 and Jackson was No. 2.
Standing at 6-foot-10, Giles is a force down low on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. He is insanely athletic and has hops for days. His size is amazing for a power forward.
But at Duke, I believe Harry Giles will have a more successful freshman year than Jackson.
Giles is considered to be the number one pick in the NBA Draft next year and it is easy to see why.
He looks like an NBA player, as the scouts are already drooling over him before he has even entered his freshman season at Duke.
Giles' presence will need to be felt right away for Duke from the first game. Giles fits the forward position the
Blue Devils will need to make a push in March, filling the hole left by Brandon Ingram, who entered the NBA Draft this offseason. Giles and Grayson Allen will make for a deadly dual threat for Duke this season.
Giles has the potential necessary to have a breakout season and will help out Allen."
The opportunity is there for Giles; Josh Jackson, on the other hand, has a lot of potential as well. However, Jackson isn't being forced into a starting spot. Devonte' Graham and Frank Mason III are the two players that the Jayhawks will rely on most next season. But Jackson could surprise some other players as well. Jackson will have a great season, but Giles looks like the better breakout candidate.
There might be some argument against Giles with Duke's top recruiting class this year
that consists of Jayson Tatum, Frank Jackson, and Marques Bolden. But all of these freshman are still unproven in a game, leaving the door open for Giles to make a big splash.
The veteran presence on Kansas' roster does not pressure Jackson into having to step up right away. Graham took over as the prolific scorer late last season for the Jayhawks and I do not see any reason why that would change. Jackson could be a very high pick in the draft next year depending on how his season at KU goes.
There is every reason to think that Harry Giles will have a great freshman season with the Blue Devils. Giles seems to have more pressure on him to do something big for the Blue Devils and I think that he will respond well. His highlights, stats, and measurables show that he has the opportunity to be a great player not only in college but at the next level. Giles has the potential necessary to have a breakout season and will help out Allen.
► JARED ANDERSON
@JAnderson_383
d i l t a n d q u a r t e s A d d a g e d i d t a n d t e r f l o m w d d a g e w d d a g e
JOSH JACKSON
In the 2016-17 college basketball season, people all over the country will have a close eye on two standout freshmen: Josh Jackson and Harry Giles.
Last year, ESPN.com listed Giles as the No.1 recruit of 2016 while Jackson was listed as the No.1 on 247sports.com and Rivals com.
In order to truly compare the two players, you must first take a look at their statistics. In Jackson's 2014-15 high school season, he posted astounding numbers, averaging 31.2 points, 17.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game. This was Jackson's first of two seasons at Prolific Prep in Napa, California. In comparison to Jackson, Giles averaged 23 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks per game in his 2014-15 season.
To be fair, in terms of scoring, Giles and Jackson play two very different positions. Giles is a 6-foot-10 power forward while Jackson is a 6-foot-7 small forward, a position that typically gets more scoring opportunities.
Although this may be true, it makes Jackson's 17.6 rebounds per game look more impressive compared to Giles's 11 rebounds per game . One would imagine that a 6-foot-10 big man would pull in more rebounds than a 6-foot-7 small forward.
An explanation for this would be Jackson's incredible athleticism. His ability to consistently hustle throughout an entire game and appear to still be full of energy is remarkable. In the 2016 McDonald's All-American game, Jackson scored 19 points and grabbed 4 rebounds for the West. He would go on to take home the Co-MVP award along with Duke commit Frank Jackson.
Another aspect of Jackson's game is his vertical and determination to get to the rim. Both of these were
on full display at the 2016 McDonald's All-American Jamfest dunk contest:
In any sport, one thing that teams look at when evaluating a player's potential is injuries. Giles tore his ACL for a second time in his left knee last year and was forced to sit out the 2015-16 season at Oak Hill Academy. This will be a large obstacle that Giles will have to overcome and is something that could have a significant impact on his game.
For Giles, it may also be difficult to get the production he is used to this upcoming season with Duke signing top 2016 recruits Jayson Tatum, Frank Jackson and Marques Bolden.
At the end of the day, both Jackson and Giles have exceptional talent that doesn't come around often. However, in terms of who will have the better freshman year, Jackson's athleticism and scoring ability will allow him to outshine Giles and become a dominant force in college basketball.