By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Reuniting with Sasha Vezenkov at Golden 1 Center, Giannis Antetokounmpo praised the forward of the Sacramento Kings.
“I am happy for him. Wish him a fast recovery to get back healthy. And help his team in any way possible. He is a great player. He knows how to play the game,” he mentioned following a loss of the Milwaukee Bucks to the Kings on Tuesday, “He is a great guy to have on your team.”
Vezenkov, 28, has been sidelined since spraining his right ankle in February. After producing 5.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.5 steals, and 0.4 assists per game over 35 appearances, he is expected to return to action deeper in the schedule of the 2023-24 NBA Regular Season. Coming in from a brilliant campaign with Olympiacos and as the season MVP in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, he was reduced to a limited bench role under the guidance of Mike Brown in the capital of California.
Overcoming a 30-point effort by the Greek Freak, the Kings jumped to 37-27 with a comfortable win over the Bucks. Half a game outside the top six spots of the Western Conference leading to a direct berth in the Playoffs, they have 18 outings left in the Regular Season. Distanced by a margin of 7.5 games from elimination, the goal is likely to settle on avoiding a Play-In challenge and securing the best possible seed in the postseason bracket. Additional help from Vezenkov can help in the late push.