GREEK AND READY TO FREAK

Trevin Kalick, Sports Editor

In the last couple weeks I have written a slew of NBA articles just to keep up with the fast moving league. I’m about to write another one, and this one is about Giannis Antetokounmpo; the rising star for the Milwaukee Bucks. I know what you’re thinking, there is no way that is a real name for a person; well it is and you better start learning how to pronounce it. Antetokounmpo was drafted by Milwaukee in the 2013 NBA Draft and came in as a completely unknown player. His nickname around the league is “The Greek Freak,” and he fits this nickname very well these last few seasons. Coming in as a very raw and unknown player, he dropped to the number 15 pick. All the teams who passed up on him are definitely kicking themselves for not drafting him.

The Bucks have never really been a dominant team in the league; they have always been middle of the pack or below. Then their awfulness actually helped. Their bad play got them some great draft picks and they used them very wisely. They picked Antetokounmpo in 2013 and then turned around and got the second pick in the draft for the 2014 and selected Jabari Parker. Both of these players were great pickups but the Greek Freak was the best pickup as Parker has had injury issues. Parker has been out for the whole season and Antetokounmpo took over. He averaged 22.9 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and 5.4 APG and was in the top 20 for every stat category in the NBA. He is the first player to ever do this and he isn’t stopping here. The Bucks are in the playoffs and I won’t count them out to get deep in if he is playing at the top of his game.