Giannis flying in rarefied air
It took a trip to New York for the “Giannis love” to start pouring out.
The Milwaukee Bucks player was the subject of plenty of media attention during the team’s short stay in the Big Apple.
And Giannis Antetokounmpo was primed for the occasion while nearly posting a tripledouble Thursday in the Bucks’ 111-93 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center. Nets fans screamed and called his name as he left the floor, a sign of acceptance in hoops-crazy New York.
Bucks coach Jason Kidd called him “one of those rare birds” in a comparison with some of the game’s legends. Team co-owner Marc Las-
ry said he believes Antetokounmpo will be an all-star this season.
The soon-to-be 22-year-old Antetokounmpo told reporters he thinks plenty of hard work during the past summer is beginning to pay off.
It’s paying off in Bucks victories, too. Milwaukee has won three straight and four of its last five as it meets the Nets again at 4 p.m. Saturday at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
“The game changes,” Kidd said. “You have special players that we come across: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan.
“You have different players that are rare. I think Giannis is one of those rare birds that we’ll be able to enjoy for a long time.”
Antetokounmpo barely missed a triple-double with 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in 30 minutes against the Nets. He sat out the entire fourth quarter as the Bucks extended their lead.
But he put on a show for a Barclays Center audience that included Bucks owners Lasry and Wes Edens and former President Bill Clinton, who sat courtside next to Lasry.
Bad weather in New York kept Lasry from being in Milwaukee to see the Bucks’ upset victory over Cleveland on Tuesday. He had to be happy with what he saw on Atlantic Avenue.
“The thing that’s great about Giannis is he has put in a huge amount of time, and you see it,” Lasry said. “He has worked super hard over the summer.
“You see he’s continuing to develop. If you take a look at his outside shot now, it’s substantially better than last year. It will keep improving.
“His inside game has gotten better; his defense has gotten better. He’s one of the top players in the NBA right now.”
Michael Redd has attended a few Bucks games recently, a vivid reminder the franchise has not had an all-star selection since he was chosen in 2004.
But that drought could finally come to an end if Antetokounmpo is chosen for the All-Star Game in New Orleans, scheduled in mid-February.
“I’d be surprised if he’s not an all-star,” Lasry said. “I think he should be.
“It’s been sort of our goal since we bought the team, and that’s the development of Giannis and Jabari (Parker). And you’re seeing that development is doing really well. I think as long as that continues, we’re fine.
“To succeed in this league, you need at least two or three superstars, two or three guys who are going to be on the all-star team. I think this year Giannis will make it, and over the next couple years I think we’ll have a couple of the other players (make it as all-stars).”
Antetokounmpo already has come a long way from being drafted 15th overall in 2013, when he was an 18-year-old with little knowledge of the ways of the NBA. In September he signed a fouryear, $100 million contract extension that will kick in next season.
The 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo said he worked on all facets of his game in the summer. He knew his perimeter shooting needed improvement so he put in long hours and tried to alter his technique.
“Right now I’m working every day on it and my main focus is to shoot without hesitating,” Antetokounmpo said. “I don’t care if it goes in or it goes out, just shoot without hesitating. I don’t have anything to lose. Just let it fly.
“I’m concentrating on my follow-through. When I receive the ball, try to keep the ball high. For tall people, it’s hard for us to shoot. From here (holding the ball at his chest) to here (at his head) is a long way. Confidence is a big part of shooting.”
Even a major disappointment has contributed to Antetokounmpo’s strong start to his fourth pro season. He and his brother Thanasis were part of the Greek national team that failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics, losing to Croatia in the semifinals of a qualifying tournament in July.
But Antetokounmpo said that served as motivation for him to keep improving.
“I’m not going to say it’s a bad thing; it’s just a disappointing thing,” Antetokounmpo said. “Everybody wanted to represent the country in the Olympic Games. Now we’ve got to wait four more years for the next one.
“It was hard for me seeing people playing in the Olympic Games and me sitting on my couch, watching them play.”