Jelly Talk: HG Stops by Kings Central →

From the court to the nail salon, Harry Giles III has been a ‘Jelly’ fan from the jump.

Giles's particular guilty pleasure is the 'lava-like' massage on his feet.

In a wide-ranging interview with NBC Sports California’s Kayte Christensen-Hunter, HG said he was in elementary school when he started going to get pedicures with his mom.

With toenails to match the sheen of the hardwood, Gizzle worked his way to the Kings rotation during the 2018-19 season, participating in 58 games.

“Last year was tough,” Giles admitted. “It was hard for me to sit out and be okay with it sometimes. I came from college where I didn’t play as much, and then I got a late start to the season because of injury. But as hard as it was to take that time off, I am so happy that I did.”

When Kayte asked what he felt like he gained during that experience, HG replied, “I learned so much about patience [...] but when I started gaining weight and getting stronger, I was improving in ways that I never had reached before.”

“The recovery was amazing and worth it, I wish I would have embraced it more in the beginning,” Giles reflected. “I feel like I have so much more to show in so many different ways, and I’m so excited by the way fans are holding onto me and having a great time. It’s only the beginning."

Speaking of fans, Kayte directed the conversation towards the unwavering love Sacramento has shown No. 20 during his rookie season. 

“I love the energy and I love the game,” said Duke product. "I grew up playing in gyms in N.C. with a lot of energy, at Duke – where the fanbase is known for its energy. That’s what I was accustom to, and now I’m in Sacramento and we have the wildest, craziest most insane fans. This fanbase is meant for me.”

As their relaxing day was winding down, Giles was asked about the future of the young Kings.

“We can be one of the best teams because we have the core - just seeing how far we came this year gives us all the motivation in the world.”

Next time fans see H20 bring the jelly on the court, they'll know it started with the jelly off the court.

Kings Young Core: Contenders or Pretenders? →

NBA columnist Zach Buckley gave some praise to the Squad in his latest article, which highlighted young NBA core teams that he believes are set to compete for championships in the near future, and those who might fracture before hitting the mark.

Buckley detailed the core teams he deems built to withstand the rigors of the playoff race, and truly vie for the crown.Out of five talented young NBA cores, which include: Boston, Denver, Philadelphia, Utah, and Sacramento – Buckley lists the Kings as potential contenders built for long-term success.

“Fox and Bagley are the biggest difference-makers,” Buckley writes.

“[Fox] is among the NBA's fastest players, and he's leveraged that speed to fuel a full-fledged breakout season,” Buckley exclaimed of No. 5’s impressive season.

“Since the All-Star break, Bagley is averaging 19.0 points and 8.9 boards with a 52.1/40.0/73.0 shooting slash,” Buckley continued, before quoting Kings head coach Dave Joerger. “I just think the sky’s the limit for Marvin […] You talk about just scraping the tip of what he can do talent-wise. I think it's going to be really fun to be around him for a long, long time.”

His love for the young Squad didn’t end there, as Buckley praised Harry Giles III as well, stating: “Giles is the best freshman no one is talking about; his per-36-minute line includes 17.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists.”

One of the highlighted “quirks” of the squad Buckley noticed, is that Sacramento boasts a mixture of “young” players that are several years older than the two previously highlighted phenoms.

Harrison Barnes, Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic are all 26-years-old, with Willie Cauley-Stein soon to follow into that age range.

However, there was no doubt behind mid-20’s Kings potential, claiming that most of them have experienced more growth than other hoopers their age.

“Hield bends defenses the way few snipers can,” Buckley states. “Bogdanovic functions as a hoops adhesive who does a little of everything.”

To read the complete breakdown of Zach Buckley’s contenders and pretenders, click here.

ESPN Sees Playoff Future for Young Kings →

“He is a stud—driver of the league’s happiest surprise.”

This was just some of the heavy praise for De’Aaron Fox, dished out by ESPN's Zach Lowe in his most recent article.

Lowe had many compliments of No. 5 when it came to his MVP potential as well as the rest of the squad’s bright future.

“The Kings are a refreshing basketball story – a team of guys who fit well, growing together,” Lowe continued.

In his piece, he discussed the prominent success De’Aaron has displayed in only his sophomore year; a shift that is proving that he might be ahead of his time when it comes to playoffs in the next couple seasons.

And Swipa wasn’t the only one who shined in Lowe’s eyes.

“Bagley has exploded over the past two months; he and Harry Giles III have the outlines of an ultra-modern frontline. Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic orbit them as shooters, passers and cutters; Hield has been a borderline All-Star this season,” proclaimed Lowe.

"[They are] a superteam, just young. I believe that," Vlade said. "These kids work hard. They have talent. When you have those things, there's no way you're not gonna succeed.”

Coach Joerger can see the stars aligning as well for his young roster, and he believes Fox is one of the key components in their rise.

"We want sustained success so that when we do get in the playoffs – maybe it's not this year, maybe it's not next year – we have the opportunity to harvest 50-win seasons for five years,” Joerger stated.

"Guys want to play with him," Joerger continued on De'Aaron.

Jason March, an assistant who works closely with the Kentucky product followed up by saying, "He is at a different level. He sees plays before they happen. When your point guard can do that in his second year, it's special.”

As for Swipa, he is determined to push himself and the rest of the team forward into next year’s postseason.

"Next year, we should definitely make the playoffs,” Fox said. “What happened here 10 years ago doesn't matter. Everyone feels like we can turn this around."

How A Brutal Training Camp Set the Tone for the Kings Season →

Even though the Sacramento Kings currently sit outside of the final playoff spot, Kings player development coach Larry Lewis doesn’t discount Sactown’s performance or effort.

"This season has already been a phenomenal season for us," Lewis said in an interview with Business Insider. "Whether we make the playoffs or not, we have overachieved this season. We've gone over and beyond what anyone expected of us as far as outside of our coaching staff.”

In some ways, the squad might credit their improvement this season to the grueling preseason training camp the completed last fall.

"They ran the s--- out of us," Willie Cauley-Stein told BI.

And just with a mention of "7-by-8", you can feel the unease within the Squad’s expressions.

"They felt it," said Lewis, with a smile. "It was definitely a test."

The "7-by-8" drill - a.k.a. seven sprints, baseline-to-baseline, eight separate times - was one that most of the team despised, while some chose to welcome the challenge.

"Guys hate running," third-year guard Buddy Hield told reporters. "I don't care what you say. No basketball player likes running."

But the rook, Marvin Bagley III says otherwise.

"I like running," MBIII told Business Insider. "So, when we did that it was kinda cool, getting in shape and competing with everybody. Just trying to be the first guy in all the sprints, making it fun. Just turning my mind, changing it from making it a bad thing to thinking of it in a positive way, just going out and getting better. So, it was a good experience.”

But it was all a part of Coach Dave Joerger’s plan. "This is how we want to play," Joerger told BI in training camp. "This is how hard we want to play. We want to be a greatly conditioned team, and we want to play fast."

"We figured if we could get in shape before all the other teams get in shape, we could steal games," No. 00 said. "And that's what we did! It worked.”

Sactown currently leads the league in pace, at 104.47 possessions per game – a number that is slower than their record 107.06, but still faster than any other team in the NBA in the last 23 years.

“It’s not a surprise to us as a staff and as a team, but I think what newspaper articles were saying… nobody predicted this" Lewis stated.

The team is set on continuing their playoff push and gearing up for another long summer of sprints, transition skills and scrimmages before heading into next season.

“Just go. Just push it. Good things happen when you do."

Giles: 'I’m Starting to Identify Myself' →

With the playoff chase in full swing, each game for Sactown becomes more pivotal.

Harry Giles, who has battled injuries and rehabilitation in recent years, is healthy and making his presence known at the most opportune time for the squad.

“Motivation. It just keeps you going, you know?” No. 20 admitted.

Over his last three contests, Giles is averaging 16.6 points and 6.6 rebounds on 66 percent shooting in just under 20 minutes.

“I’ve just been figuring out how to play, and it’s taken time,” the Duke product said. “I couldn’t go out there and just have it all figured out, so it’s taken me time to get used to the contact, the style we play in and finding a happy medium with the way I play with them.” 

After the injury to Marvin Bagley III, Giles has played additional minutes and taken full advantage of his time on the floor.

“I’m on a new level, probably a point that I’ve never been at before” Giles states.

“It’s incredible to have the whole organization behind me,” Gizzle continued, “I’m starting to identify myself and find myself. I’m taking my time, but keep on pushing myself to see what I can do.”

The Kings continue their postseason hunt Wednesday, with the Boston Celtics visiting Golden 1 Center.