Best friend to savior, Jayson Tatum has ticked all the boxes when it came down to his friendship with Harry Giles III. The Duke teammates had developed a strong bond just with a single season in college. While JT went on to become a star, Giles had an unfortunate turn of events and injuries in his career, considering his popularity in high school. Apart from both his knees being surgically repaired more than once, the 26-year-old also had a unique deadlock situation, which the Celt cleared with his influence. Now, Giles’ second chance in the biggest hoops league has evoked a reaction from JT along with the hoops community.

The 6 ’10 big man had been an on-and-off professional hooping, since he came into the league, recovering from his knee injuries. Notably, experts expected Giles to shine brighter than the rest of his classmates, including Tatum. Speaking in a 2018 podcast, the Celt admitted, “Harry was the only player I would’ve said in high school. ‘Yeah, he might be better than me.’ Our senior year he didn’t play one game, and he was still ranked No. 1.” Unfortunately, the 3 knee surgeries in college had tied down Giles.

After missing his entire rookie season (2017-18) for the Sacramento Kings, he believed that he would add value to the side in the future. However, it didn’t work in his favor, as he never played a season above 58 games. Last season, the Lakers roped him in ahead of the deadline and utilized him only for 7 games on an average of 2.7 minutes per game before leaving him in free agency.

While Giles III remained a free agent almost throughout the 2024 offseason, the Charlotte Hornets have reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with the hooper, as per Shams Charania. In response to the trade, Giles’ buddy Jayson Tatum celebrated it, as he shared the report on his Instagram stories. Truly a happy moment for a friend, who once went the distance to save him!

In 2023, Harry Giles III struggled to get a two-way contract as the CBA rules allowed only players who’ve played 4 seasons that privilege. However, Jayson Tatum entered the scene with his clout and argued that his buddy missed an entire season with injury and ultimately won the argument. Moreover, it wasn’t just the Celt who felt happy with the latest trade. He was among a bandwagon of so many other well-wishers.

“Excited for you gang”: love overflows for Harry Giles III following Jayson Tatum’s shout-out

Following Jayson Tatum, another NBA player also extended his support to Harry Giles. It’s 25-year-old Lonnie Walker IV, who had a brief stint with Giles in the Brooklyn Nets last season. Just like the big man, Walker also has had an on-and-off NBA career, despite his impressive offensive ability. During this off-season, Walker struggled to attract a trade as a free agent, until the Cs showed trust. And days later, now Giles has received a call-up. In reaction to it, the guard wrote on IG, “More than deserving!!! Excited for you gang.”

On the other hand, fans also have similar expectations from the big man. While injuries had kept the big man away from showcasing his true talent, fans expect him to dominate the upcoming season. A fan wrote, “Charlotte could really surprise people this year. If healthy, obviously.”

Another fan probably might have gone a little overboard, as they compared the trade to Kevin Durant‘s Dubs trade. In 2016, KD moved to an already overpowered Bay Area team and won 2 rings in 3 years. Connecting the legendary stint, this fan wrote, “This will change the trajectory of the whole league more than KD going to the Warriors.” 

Adding to it, another fan wrote, “League changing deal,” with a fire emoji. While this comment may have a tinge of sarcasm loaded on it, Giles has all the power to correct them. Nevertheless, wishing Giles luck, a genuine fan wrote, “Yes, good for him!! Good luck.” Do you think Harry Giles III will cement his position this time? Let us know in the comments below.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.