SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When Harry Giles III checked into the Nets’ game against Boston on Nov. 10, it marked his return to the NBA.
Monday’s tilt marked his return to Sacramento, the place where his journey in the league started — before injuries threatened to derail it.
“Oh it’s great,” Giles said before the Nets’ 131-118 loss, in which he scored three points in four minutes. “I had a lot of great memories here. Spent some great years here. Obviously, this is where I kicked off my career, so it’s always great to get back here.
“And for me now, just kind of being out the last two years and coming here in the playoffs, just being a competitor and knowing how much love I get here, I always told myself when I was working to get back I wanted to make sure if I don’t do anything else in my career, I’ll make sure I get to play in front of these fans one more time, regardless what team it’s on. So it’s happening [now], so a dream come true. And just blessed to be in this moment again.”
That work to get back was a long, arduous road that belies his youthful 25 years.
Giles has had a litany of knee injuries.
He tore his left ACL and MCL in 2013, his right ACL in 2015, had arthroscopic surgery the next year and a season-ending injury while in the G-League in December 2021.
While spending his first three NBA seasons in Sacramento — missing his rookie campaign due to injury but coming back to log 104 appearances — Giles endeared himself to the Kings fans. And the feeling was mutual.
“The appreciation is a two-way street, is mutual, the fans will cheer for him as he embraced this part of his life and being drafted here,” Vaughn said. “It’s always a good thing when you’re welcomed back to a former place. That means you left it in a better position than when you were there, and you had lasting memories that were good.
“Harry is a guy that I bet he touched a lot of people, whether it was a security guard, whether it was a locker-room attendant, whether it was a coach, whether it was a player, that’s just who he is.”
Dennis Smith Jr. (back) didn’t travel with the team, but Vaughn was hopeful the guard could join them on this five-game trip.
“We haven’t ruled out that [Smith] won’t join us on the trip. Like I said, he’s not here; but we’ve got some more games along this trip,” Vaughn said. “My hope is I would love for him to join us at some point. But he’s still back getting treatment and we’ll see how he progresses.”
Armani Brooks and Jalen Wilson flew in after G-League Long Island’s game Sunday afternoon.
“I like seeing our other guys Jalen and Armani,” Vaughn said. “The schedule presented themselves. They played [Sunday] at one o’clock, so able to get here in time for shootaround, and so it just fits. We’ve got a back-to-back, three-in-four [days]. So, just being cautious and preemptive in having those guys with us right now.”