By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Georgios Kalaitzakis is now officially the third Greek player at the Milwaukee Bucks. He joins Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo and feels excited to begin practicing and playing with them.
“It’s a blessing to have two Greeks, Giannis and Thanasis, two amazing guys great players,” Kalaitzakis said after his NBA Summer League debut against the Brooklyn Nets. “Obviously Giannis is the best player in the world. I have to learn a lot from them. I’ll go there, keep my head down. Work, work, work and I think at the end of the day I’ll be fine.”
Kalaitzakis came off the bench and scored 12 points in 19 minutes as the Bucks fell to Brooklyn 91 – 97. The 22-year-old player shot 3-5 2-pointers and 6-7 free throws.
The Bucks selected Kalaitzakis with the 60th overall pick and then signed him, just before he wore the Milwaukee jersey for the first time in the game vs. the Nets.
“I can’t explain how much happy I am right now,” Kalaitzakis said. “It’s like a dream come true. From the first day I started to play basketball it was always my dream to come play in the NBA. It’s a big opportunity for me. I’ll try to learn from all these guys, Jrue, Khris, Giannis…
Kalaitzakis is looking forward to absorb as much as he can from his most experienced teammates in multiple aspects of a player’s routine.
“When you are young, you have to learn from everything,” Kalaitzakis said. “How do these guys treat their bodies. How they practice, how they rest, how they eat. It’s a big opportunity for me. I have to learn, I have to listen. It’s a great group of guys. I’ll try to give my best in every practice and when the coach calls my name, I got to be ready to go out there and play.”
Apart from Kalaitzakis, Georgian big man Sandro Mamukelashvili had 10 points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes in his second Summer League game.
Photo: Milwaukee Bucks