By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Before becoming a leading star of the Milwaukee Bucks and placing among the most recognizable basketball players in the world, Giannis Antetokounmpo went into the 2013 NBA draft as a prospect with limited information available to NBA teams.
His unique path has been documented through several movies, including the 2022 biographical film Rise. However, Gilbert Arenas threw in additional hilarious details via Gil’s Arena podcast.
“Did you hear Jeff Teague with the Giannis story?” he referred to fellow former player Jeff Teague on the Club 520 Podcast, “He said the Atlanta Hawks secretly had Giannis hiding in somebody’s basement and they were trying to figure out because they didn’t think nobody knew about him.”
“They said he was working out hiding in somebody’s basement so nobody can see who he was,” he added on the unbelievable approach by the Hawks.
“And how he got to Milwaukee was – I don’t know if he was from the coaching staff or management – who was in Atlanta got fired, went to Milwaukee,” he also explained how a disgruntled employee led Giannis to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bucks selected the Greek Freak with the 15th overall pick of the draft and the rest is history, highlighted by the championship run of the 2020-21 season.
Meanwhile, the Hawks ended up with Lucas Nogueira in the 16th spot and one year later traded the draft rights of the Brazilian center to the Toronto Raptors. With the 17th pick, they secured the services of German Dennis Schroder who played in Atlanta for five years.
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