By Nikos Varlas / varlas@eurohoops.net
Even though the Milwaukee Bucks didn’t manage to make a post-All Star game comeback that would’ve gotten them to the Eastern Conference playoffs for the second consecutive season, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker’s basketball explosion showed us a crystal clear picture from the team’s immediate future.
From the moment he was fixed in the Point Guard position, Giannis has had some incredible performances, with five triple-doubles, while seeing an increase in all the numbers of his statistical sheet. The same thing has happened with Parker, since, in the way he has performed, Giannis “spread” the floor for the Bucks, creating more open shots for his teammates. It has been proven that the two players’ collaboration can provide the foundation on which Jason Kidd, and the whole Bucks organization, will build the future.
During our stay in Milwaukee, Eurohoops had a discussion with Jabari Parker, who is, more or less, the same age as the Greek player (Jabari is… 100 days younger!). The ex “Blue Devil” shared with us the great respect he has for the “Greek Freak” and talked about the many and great things these two can accomplish in the coming years as the charioteers of the Milwaukee Bucks’ comeback in the East!
-Jabari, what is your relationship with Giannis?
My relationship with Giannis is very essential to our growth in the NBA. He is someone who always pushes me in practice. And like him, I do the same! I think that I need somebody like that during my career. Someone who is a great talent and works extremely hard. He is one of the best players in our team, and we are about the same age. I need him… a lot, for the rest of my career. Especially for our team and our organization, he plays an important role for us. So I think that’s pretty much the plan. Us two together for the rest of the years in Milwaukee… we will look to turn the organization around.
-Do you think that you also have great chemistry off the court? As individuals and as friends?
We are really good friends off the court as well. My level of respect for him is very high! I respect him so much. He is a great guy, great character, he is funny. That’s somebody I love being around.
-The plan for the Milwaukee Bucks is for you to play with him in the coming years. Do you think that maybe in two or three years, with the new building and the growth of the organization, you will be capable to be contenders at least for the title in the Eastern Conference?
We can only get older and we can only get better. Once we have the new facility, we are going to have new guys around us. We can only get older from here so we are going to look to be one of the top contenders. Because everybody else is going to fall apart. And all we are going to do is keep growing.
-Do you know any Greek words?
-Gyro… the sandwich!