This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The list of NBA draft pundits who regarded Giannis Antetokounmpo as more than a project is too long to list.
They called him raw, a guy without much of an overall skillset. They said that he'd take years to mature physically into his body.
That's why 14 teams, including the Utah Jazz, passed over him in the 2013 draft.
One of the top all-around players in the league will lead the Milwaukee Bucks against the Jazz on Wednesday night at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The kid few believed could become an all-star has become an all-star before the natural end of his rookie contract (Antetokounmpo signed an extension last summer). He heard the negative talk and fed off it.
"My first year, I was just happy to be in the NBA, I was just 18 years old," Antetokounmpo said in an interview with The Tribune on Tuesday. "By my second year, I looked back on what people said, and that really drove me. I respected everyone's opinion on what they said about me on draft night. But I definitely used it as motivation."
The 2013 draft is considered widely to be one of the worst in a generation. Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 pick out of UNLV, is no longer in the NBA. Michael Carter-Williams, the rookie of the year in that class, is a backup point guard with the Chicago Bulls. There are seemingly more busts through the first round than quality starters.
If there was a re-do, Antetokounmpo and Jazz center Rudy Gobert almost certainly would be the top two picks. Antetokounmpo went No. 15, Gobert No. 27. The two play against each other twice a year, but they recognize and acknowledge the bond they share.
They are looked upon as two guys who change games with their length and athleticism.
"He's a special talent," Gobert said. "I like to watch him play, and it's great to see a guy succeed that was underrated. He's a unique player. I kind of like to watch what he's doing from afar."
Antetokounmpo has blossomed into one of the best players in the league. He's averaging 23.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists. There are few forwards in the league outside of LeBron James and Kevin Durant who are capable of influencing a game in that many ways.
He has a Player Efficiency Rating (PER) of 27.20, which is one of the best in the league. He's shooting almost 53 percent from the field.
But the stats don't do his overall impact justice. Antetokounmpo is rare on both ends.
He's one of the most diverse defensive players in the game, blocking two shots a night and coming up with 1.8 steals a game.
He essentially runs Milwaukee's offense as the point guard but can play anywhere from the point to power forward. That makes him a nightmare matchup for most teams he faces.
He averaged 6.8 points a night in his rookie year, which means he's raised his scoring average by almost 17 points in the three seasons.
"I just wanted to get better," Antetokounmpo said. "It was just hard work and spending a lot of time in the gym."
And he's taken a clear leadership role within the team. He's vocal on the floor and not above good-natured trash talk with his teammates. He's very competitive. He spent 45 minutes after Tuesday's practice playing one-on-one against rookies Malcolm Brogdon and Thon Maker, along with veterans Michael Beasley and Mirza Teletovic.
The group competitively shot 3-pointers after that. By the time everyone finished, Antetokounmpo and veteran Jason Terry were the last Buck players on the floor.
"He's growing up," Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd said. "He loves to play, he loves the competition. He's put in a lot of hard work and he wants to be a leader. That's what makes him special."
If Antetokounmpo has one weakness, it's that he's still not proficient from 3-point range, shooting a little less than 30 percent from beyond the arc. So like many teams, the Jazz will try to entice him to shoot the ball from distance.
But the Bucks have become a good team this season because Jabari Parker has become an offensive weapon at the other forward. Jazz forward Gordon Hayward most likely will start off on Antetokounmpo. But as Wednesday night progresses, the Jazz are going to have to figure out containment with people other than Hayward, which won't be easy.
Twitter: @tribjazz —
Giannis through the years
2013-2014 • 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per night
2014-2015 • 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per night
2015-2016 • 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per night
2016-2017 • 23.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists per night
• Selected as an all-star this season for the first time in his career.
• Native of Greece and was the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.
• Is 22 years old.
• Of Nigerian descent
—
Utah Jazz vs. Milwaukee Bucks
When • 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where • Vivint Smart Home Arena
TV • ROOT Sports
Radio • 1280 AM; 97.5 FM
Records • Milwaukee 21-26; Utah 30-19
Last Meeting • Utah won 94-85 (March 20, 2016)
About the Bucks • Milwaukee will be trying to snap a three-game losing streak. ... The Bucks are ninth in the Western Conference. … Milwaukee is in a free-fall, losing eight of its last nine games. … Former Jazz assistant general manager Justin Zanik is the GM-in-waiting in Milwaukee. … The Bucks start Matthew Dellavedova at point guard. His Australian National Team teammates are Jazz players Joe Ingles and Dante Exum
About the Jazz • Utah's 7-3 in its last 10 games, but the Jazz have lost three of their last four. … Utah starting power forward Derrick Favors missed Saturday's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. His status for Wednesday is undetermined. … The Jazz swept the Bucks in the season series last year. … Dante Exum's first career start two years ago came against the Bucks.