Homecoming King: Brooklyn Nets’ Harry Giles III explains love for Sacramento Kings fans
Homecoming king Harry Giles III returned to an outpouring of love and support from a fan base that will never forget the love he showed for Sacramento.
This city’s love affair with Giles began when the Kings selected him with the 20th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. He is a member of the Brooklyn Nets now, but his feelings for Sacramento haven’t changed.
“I miss it even more,” Giles told The Sacramento Bee. “I never took it for granted, but I wish I would have embraced it even more with everything, with playing, with all that, but I still appreciate my time. I appreciate having somewhere to always call home, having some good love and having a good relationship with the organization and the fan base.”
Giles received a huge ovation when he converted a three-point play late in the fourth quarter in a 131-118 loss to the Kings on Monday night before a sellout crowd of 17,794 at Golden 1 Center. When Giles came out for pregame warmups, he was greeted with hugs, handshakes and adulation from Kings players, Golden 1 Center security, arena ushers and fans of all ages.
“It feels good, man,” Giles said. “I wanted to come out here and get my love, too. Every time I see these Sacramento fans, I want to get my love and let them know how much I appreciate them. You know how I feel about them already.”
Giles explained what makes his relationship with Kings fans so special.
“They’re so genuine,” Giles said. “I don’t know what it is. It just feels like home. It feels like we’ve known each other forever. Some people are just meant for you. Sacramento fans are meant for me and I’m meant for them. That’s a mutual thing we have in common. I feel like I’m from here almost.”
Nets coach Jacque Vaughn was asked during his pregame news conference about Giles and his return to Sacramento.
“I think as an athlete, when you return to places that you’ve been, and to have an appreciation and the appreciation is a two-way street, it’s mutual, the fans will cheer for him as he embraced this part of his life and being drafted here,” Vaughn said. “I think 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 who, 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.”
Giles shared a long embrace with Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Malik Monk before the game. Giles signed autographs, posed for pictures with fans, and made his way over to Kings Chief Operating Officer Matina Kolokotronis and her son, Conti, for more hugs and warm wishes.
Monk didn’t play for Sacramento when Giles was on the team, but “that’s my dog, though,” Monk said.
Kings fans have wrapped their arms around Monk in a similar way, but few players in team history have connected with Sacramento the way Giles has.
“If you go out there and play with your heart, play with your all, I think the fans are going to respect that,” Monk said. “That’s what Harry does, that’s what I do, and I think that’s why they like both of us so much.”
