Giannis Antetokounmpo's all-star moment is no accident
NEW ORLEANS - Giannis Antetokounmpo is called the “Greek Freak” and he has a lean and strong body that allows him to do spectacular things on the basketball court.
But make no mistake.
His arrival as a starting forward for the Eastern Conference team in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game required much more than physical gifts.
Work. Family. Friends. Mentors.
And more work.
Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Wes Edens remembers the first thing he saw when he walked into the team practice facility in May 2014 after purchasing the team from former owner Herb Kohl.
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“Giannis was the only guy there and he was there all morning,” Edens said. “Shooting, shooting free throws and working on it.
“It was very clear from the first minute of the first day that he was a very special player and he was beyond committed to being excellent. This is not an accident that he ended up here.”
Antetokounmpo has spent so much time at the Cousins Center, the Bucks’ practice facility, that he calls it “home.”
“A lot of work, a lot of sweat,” Antetokounmpo said Saturday as he spoke to reporters after the East squad’s practice at the Superdome. “A lot of days that I was disappointed. A lot of down days, a lot of up days.
“But it all leads up to this. That makes me want to work harder. So looking forward, better things will come.”
On Sunday night the 22-year-old native of Athens will be starting alongside LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan.
Antetokounmpo has enjoyed every moment of the all-star weekend, from hanging out with his brothers in his hotel room Saturday, to watching co-owner Marc Lasry in the celebrity game to taking the court for the all-star practice.
"It's like a dream, man," Antetokounmpo said. "We were in the hotel yesterday, everybody together. I stayed up until like 3 a.m. Just having my brothers and everybody joking around, being like the old days.
"I think they're enjoying it even more than me. I'm trying to stay focused. But seeing them having fun and smiling makes me smile. Whatever happens on the court doesn't really matter; I'll take care of that. But it makes me happy."
New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, an all-star veteran, asked Antetokounmpo if he was nervous at the practice session.
“I said if I get the first layup, the first dunk, I’ll be fine,” Antetokounmpo said. “He told me, ‘You’re too big to be nervous.’ ”
Antetokounmpo truly is a global star, claimed by Africa due to his Nigerian heritage and also by Greece, where he is proud to represent his national team.
He answered questions in Greek during Friday’s media sessions and told the assembled reporters from Greece that he would prefer an international medal to an NBA MVP award or title.
His reason?
“Because it will stay forever in Greece,” he said.
But he’s also quite serious about leading the Bucks out of the basketball wilderness. A franchise that has not won a playoff series since the 2000-’01 season and last had an all-star in 2004 (Michael Redd) is counting on him.
“He’s unselfish,” said Bucks rookie Malcolm Brogdon, who played in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night. “He’s everything you would want in a teammate, on and off the floor.
“He dominates the game so well and so often that it makes the game easy for you. That’s the mark of a great player; they’re able to make adjustments and they’re able to strengthen their weaknesses.
“I think he’s doing that right in front of our eyes. It’s a testament to his hard work and his diligence upon improving.”
It has been more than a calendar year since Bucks coach Jason Kidd moved Antetokounmpo to the point forward role, giving him more responsibility as the team’s primary playmaker.
That was an important step in him reaching the all-star level.
“It has changed my game a lot,” Antetokounmpo said. “Having the ball in my hands, I’m able to make plays and just create. I think that helps me to mature my game.
“Instead of standing in the corner and Coach calling two, five or 10 plays in the game, now I call the plays. That helps me take my game to the next level.”
He can find Brogdon in the corner for the spot-up three-pointer or leave the ball for Michael Beasley or Thon Maker as trailers on the fast break.
Instead of hesitating, he can make quicker decisions, something that requires game experience.
“I definitely am getting more comfortable,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think I can do a lot better job of finding these guys, and I will moving forward.”
His older brother, Thanasis, who plays professionally in Spain, arrived in New Orleans on Friday night and will be able to watch Giannis’ big moment Sunday. Younger brothers Kostas and Alex also are on hand, along with his mom, Veronica, and dad, Charles.
The story of Antetokounmpo’s rise from peddling trinkets on the streets of Athens to being the 15th pick in the NBA draft in 2013 to the 2017 All-Star Game is one for a movie script.
Bucks general manager John Hammond was willing to take a chance on a skinny 18-year-old kid with great potential, while others thought it was too big of a gamble. Now fans around the country are wearing his No. 34 jersey and screaming his name, from New York to Los Angeles.
“It’s what America is all about,” Edens said. “We’re a country of immigrants. Here’s a kid that is living in Athens in a difficult situation. He comes here and now he’s the king of the world.
“That’s how it’s supposed to be.”