Benny Sieu/USA Today
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a beast.
In his first five NBA seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, the two-time All Star averaged 17 points, 8 rebounds and four assists per game. The 6' 11" foward/guard is nicknamed 'The Greek Freak' because a) he's from Athens and b) he has freakish athletic ability.
In 2012, he was an 19 year old kid playing in the Greek A2 League. He played in 26 games, averaged nearly 10 points and 8 boards per game. That year, he was a 'special participant' in the league's All-Star game...not because he was selected to the team, but because the coaches let him play as a special treat to the fans because Greece had never seen anything like him before.
The next year, Antetokounmpo declared for the NBA draft.
His 2013 Draft Profile wasn't that impressive. He was listed at 6' 9" and only 196 pounds (he is 6' 11", 222 lbs today). He was knocked for his inexperience, his ineptitude on defense, consistency, lack of a jump shot and the adjustment needed moving from overseas competition to the NBA.
One anonymous Western Conference executive told Sports Illustrated "I wouldn't touch him. I don't even know how good he is going to be once he reaches his potential."
There's a decent chance that the exec was Timberwolves General Manager Flip Saunders, who had just rejoined the team after an eight-year absence. But considering he took a risk on a certain 6' 11" high school kid out of Farragut Acadamy High School with the fifth overall pick in 1995, I doubt that it was him.
The 2013 NBA Draft was Flip's first as an NBA General Manager, and he and head coach Rick Adelman had the ninth overall pick in the draft.
After seeing Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo, Otto Porter, Cody Zeller, Alex Len, Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope taken off the draft board, flip had options with the pick. Flip could select the National College Player of the Year in Trey Burke from Michigan, or another guard like Michael Carter-Williams from Syracuse or CJ McCollum from Lehigh. The unproven Antetokounmpo was on the board yet, too, but probably not worthy (at the time) of the ninth pick. Or he could trade the pick.
Utah and their two first-round picks (14th and 21st) called and offered both picks if the Wolves would select Trey Burke for them. Flip agreed.
When it was the Wolves pick again at 14, McCollum and Carter-Williams had both been taken. As had a pair of big men in Steven Adams and Kelly Olynyk.
An enticing player sat on the board at 14. Shabazz Muhammad, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, averaged 18 points and 5 boards at UCLA that season. Although he was a forward in college, he planned on transitioning to shooting guard in the NBA. Character issues had taken him from a top three pick to a mid-first round grade (after he was drafted, he was sent home from Summer League due to rules violations) but there was no question the talent and drive were there.
Saunders passed on the unknown Antetokounmpo again and selected Muhammad with the 14th pick. The Wolves used the other pick acquired in the Burke deal to select center Georgi Deing out of Louisville.
Antetokounmpo was taken off the board by the Milwaukee Bucks at 15.
In five short seasons, Antetokounmpo has gone from green prospect to All-NBA. The player who was once questioned for experience and defensive abilities won the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2017. He frequently plays that point, even at nearly seven feet tall, because of his ability to handle the ball.
In 2018, his Milwaukee Bucks have their sights set on an Eastern Conference Championship.
Meanwhile, after a playoff appearance in 2017, the Wolves are back to being bottom-feeders in the West.
His 2013 Draft Profile wasn't that impressive. He was listed at 6' 9" and only 196 pounds (he is 6' 11", 222 lbs today). He was knocked for his inexperience, his ineptitude on defense, consistency, lack of a jump shot and the adjustment needed moving from overseas competition to the NBA.
One anonymous Western Conference executive told Sports Illustrated "I wouldn't touch him. I don't even know how good he is going to be once he reaches his potential."
There's a decent chance that the exec was Timberwolves General Manager Flip Saunders, who had just rejoined the team after an eight-year absence. But considering he took a risk on a certain 6' 11" high school kid out of Farragut Acadamy High School with the fifth overall pick in 1995, I doubt that it was him.
The 2013 NBA Draft was Flip's first as an NBA General Manager, and he and head coach Rick Adelman had the ninth overall pick in the draft.
After seeing Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo, Otto Porter, Cody Zeller, Alex Len, Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope taken off the draft board, flip had options with the pick. Flip could select the National College Player of the Year in Trey Burke from Michigan, or another guard like Michael Carter-Williams from Syracuse or CJ McCollum from Lehigh. The unproven Antetokounmpo was on the board yet, too, but probably not worthy (at the time) of the ninth pick. Or he could trade the pick.
Utah and their two first-round picks (14th and 21st) called and offered both picks if the Wolves would select Trey Burke for them. Flip agreed.
Trey Burke (3) and Gorgei Deing (10) were part of
a trade package between the Wolves and Jazz
(John W. McDonough/SI)
An enticing player sat on the board at 14. Shabazz Muhammad, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, averaged 18 points and 5 boards at UCLA that season. Although he was a forward in college, he planned on transitioning to shooting guard in the NBA. Character issues had taken him from a top three pick to a mid-first round grade (after he was drafted, he was sent home from Summer League due to rules violations) but there was no question the talent and drive were there.
Shabazz Muhammad with UCLA in 2012
(Porter Binks/SI)
Saunders passed on the unknown Antetokounmpo again and selected Muhammad with the 14th pick. The Wolves used the other pick acquired in the Burke deal to select center Georgi Deing out of Louisville.
Antetokounmpo was taken off the board by the Milwaukee Bucks at 15.
In five short seasons, Antetokounmpo has gone from green prospect to All-NBA. The player who was once questioned for experience and defensive abilities won the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2017. He frequently plays that point, even at nearly seven feet tall, because of his ability to handle the ball.
In 2018, his Milwaukee Bucks have their sights set on an Eastern Conference Championship.
Meanwhile, after a playoff appearance in 2017, the Wolves are back to being bottom-feeders in the West.
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