The RoundHouse | 1/23/2026 4:46:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Understanding Kenyon Giles' shooting starts with the role models he chose as a youngster.
 
Stephen Curry for his quick release. Kobe Bryant for his accuracy in the mid-range and refusal to let a hand in his face alter the shot. Ray Allen for his consistent, fluid form on his three-point shots.
 
"I had to learn how to get my shot off quick," Giles said. "Being young, being small - you had to figure how to get your shot off."
 
Giles, a 5-foot-10 guard, is on his way to a superb offensive season at Wichita State because of countless hours of practice, the confidence those habits build, and the lessons learned from those NBA stars. He is averaging 18.4 points while making a career best 42.2 percent of his three-pointers and 85.1 percent of his foul shots.
 
The Shockers (12-8, 4-3 American) face Memphis (9-9, 4-2) at 3 p.m., Saturday at Koch Arena (ESPN2).
 
Giles is putting up those numbers on a diet of guarded shots as defenses focus on him. He makes threes well beyond the arc and crowded by defenders. He makes mid-range jumpers fading away and over bigger defenders. He uses his dribble to coax a defender to lean and rises at the perfect moment to shoot over his opponent.
 
"The value of KG is he just doesn't need much space," coach Paul Mills said. "He plays with a lot of confidence. He's a big-time shot-maker."
 
Teammate Dre Kindell remembers Giles "chilling" for much of summer workouts. When practices intensified in the fall, Giles heated up.
 
"It was crazy," Kindell said. "He was holding back in the summer. We see him putting in the work, making those shots."
 
 

Folks, KG is on the loose again 🔥

10 pts | 4-5 FG | 2-3 3FG@Kengocrzzy | ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/c5rS3HDLPf

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) January 22, 2026

No Shocker has averaged more than 18 points since Markis McDuffie's 18.2 in 2018-19. Giles' three-point percentage is on pace for the best mark since Landry Shamet made 44.2 percent in 2017-18. His Ken Pomeroy offensive efficiency rating of 126.9 ranks with elite recent Shockers such as Shamet, Conner Frankamp and Joe Ragland.
 
While some of the shots Giles takes look difficult, Mills is on board. First, his philosophy is to stay out the head of a shooter so as not to sap confidence. Second, Giles has earned the right to shoot from anywhere on the court.
 
His green light never changes. The heat map of Giles' shooting covers almost every inch of the court. Mills admits to remembering one or two bad shots, but not enough to mention.
 
Giles made 7 of 8 threes to score 24 points vs. Loyola (Chicago). He made 8 of 13 in a 26-point effort vs. UAB. Against North Texas, he made all four of his threes and 13 of 17 shots overall to produce 33 points.
 
"I tell the players this when they first get here, 'I don't tell you what shots to shoot,'" Mills said. "You tell me. We don't put limits on guys, but at the end of the day you have to be able to produce more than one point per possession. If you don't produce more than one point per possession, then we're not going to take that shot. There's not a place on the floor where he's not producing more than one point a possession."
 
Giles takes that freedom seriously. Throughout his career, he's had to prove he can make difficult shots.
 
"I really try not to shoot bad shots," he said. "I think that messes up the flow. Turnovers and bad shots are two things I hate."
 
Shocker forward Karon Boyd, last season's Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year at East Tennessee State, played against Giles, with UNC Greensboro, twice last season.
 
"Anything's a good shot for him," Boyd said. "The amount of work he puts in, and all the confidence he has, we have confidence in him to shoot that shot."
 
Confidence is a necessity for a 5-foot-10 offensive engine. To Giles, a 0-for-2 night signals a loss of confidence.
 
"I'd rather go 0 for 10," he said. "Because that means after two shots, you stop being confident. I'm too good of a shooter to only shoot two shots and not be confident."
 
Confident. Just like the NBA role models.
 
"Stephen Curry to base my shot off of," Giles said. "Kobe, the shot-making and not changing your shot even when it's contested Always think 'make.' Ray Allen – catch and shoot. Jumping straight up. Well-oiled machine. Same shot every time. Learning from those guys."
 
 

!!! https://t.co/Cwv1QJ57ff pic.twitter.com/Gf1Cg841YG

— Wichita State Men's Basketball (@GoShockersMBB) January 18, 2026

Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
 
Season tickets are on sale now, and season ticket renewals are available as well. To purchase, visit GoShockers.com/Tickets, dial 316-978-FANS (3267) or stop by the Shocker Ticket Office, located inside Charles Koch Arena, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.