Milwaukee Bucks: The Greek Freak Is Here And The NBA Needs To Get Ready

As Halloween arrives, there is one true monster lurking throughout the NBA, always ready to strike. He is so frightful that people everywhere do not dare attempt to speak his last name. He is Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Greek Freak.

As a draft prospect in 2013, Giannis Antetokounmpo was not well-known. He was listed as a 6’9″, 196lbs small forward with very little basketball experience.

Yet, after making the playoffs the year prior, the Milwaukee Bucks took a risk on the young Greek athlete and selected him with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft in what is now regarded as one of the best value picks in recent history.

In his rookie season, Giannis was pretty good. He played in a respectable 24.6 minutes per game and was reasonably effective. Averaging a stat line of 6.8/4.4/1.9 isn’t phenomenal, but for a 19-year-old rookie with limited basketball experience, Antetokounmpo started to show glimpses of a great future. For his play in his rookie season, Giannis was awarded with a second team All-Rookie selection.

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And after that rookie season, Giannis just got better. And better. And better. In each of his first three seasons, his numbers grew across the board, and the progression was clear on the floor as well as in the statistics. Soon, he was, and still is all over the internet. His high-flying dunks, acrobatic euro-step lay-ups, and chase down blocks are almost a guarantee night in and night out. Just go to YouTube and look up the Greek Freak.

Trust me, even if you already aware of his frightening skills, you will still be entertained. Not only is he a tremendous talent, but he is an outstanding young kid that oozes passion for the game in each attack of the basket.

Once a 6’9″ small forward, Giannis Antetokounmpo is no more.

Now built at a 6’11”, 223 pound frame with jaw-dropping guard skills, the Greek Freak has emerged and is ready to take over the NBA as Point Giannis.

The Point Giannis aspect of his game is scary, and it shows on the court. In game one of this season, at home against the Hornets, it was obvious that teams have started to take serious note of the Freak’s greatness. One of the top-end defenders in the league, Nicolas Batum, was called upon to follow Giannis up and down the floor all night long, denying him the ball. And yet, even with tight coverage, the Greek Freak managed to put 31 points on 13/21 shooting.

Game two was not much different. Not quite the scoring outburst, but Giannis was able to use his freakish length and athleticism to grab his first double-double of the season while tallying 21 points and 11 rebounds. But it’s not just his scoring. The Greek Freak has all the skills to put up outstanding numbers across the board. There is very little that this monster cannot do.

And the loss against the Detroit Pistons in the third game of the season showed that. Even on an off night from the floor (5-16), Antetokounmpo was awfully close to a triple-double, garnering a line of 17-8-8.

Oh, and three blocks, because one does not simply shoot over a 7’4″ wingspan.

And how do you match-up with him defensively? He gets a mismatch on nearly every single possession. If you put a forward or a center on him, the Freak has the speed and versatility to blow by the defender to get to his spot. And as for putting a quicker guard on him, good luck with that size. If he doesn’t settle for a jumper, Giannis has the ability to either overpower the defender at the top of the key, or turn and play with his back-to-the-basket on the wing.

Plus, with a deadly euro-step, he is nearly impossible to stop in transition when he has momentum. His ability to run a one-man fast break is unlike many others in the league because of the amount of ground he can cover with each stride, the length of arms on his finishing, and the euro-step that he describes here:

But just like any monster, the Greek Freak has a weakness. Despite the continued improvement and offseason work, Antetokounmpo is still a developing shooter, especially from beyond the three-point line. For his career, Giannis attempts 68.4% of his shots within two feet of the basket. His range has definitely extended over the past couple years, and he is starting to show confidence in his three-ball this season, but it is still a work in progress.

For reference, Antetokounmpo shot 1.4 threes per game last season, while hitting on 25.7% of said attempts. However, he has upped his attempts to 2.0 in three games to this point, and he has hit on 33.3%. If he can keep that number consistent, or even raise his percentage to over 35%, then the game would really change.

Once Giannis starts to command attention out beyond the arc, his ability to attack the rack becomes even more prevalent. He becomes even more deadly with the ball in his hands and poses the following question to his defenders: Do you want me to shoot over you or blow past you?

And don’t forget about his defense. With that kind of length and quickness, Giannis is extremely versatile as a defender. When necessary, he has the skills and size to guard every position on the floor, which is such a good thing for the Bucks. As their best player, having the ability to work several different lineups around him is much easier with his versatility.

#TeamAllLength is based on the talents of the Greek Freak, and he allows the Bucks to not only be a good team in the future, but always a fun one to watch.

With the outstanding development and athletic gifts that Giannis Antetokounmpo possesses, he really lives up the title of being the Greek Freak.

Next: Giannis Antetokounmpo: The Pride Of Greece

So, NBA, the Greek Freak is here…and you best be ready.