Should The Bucks Consider Kostas Papanikolaou?

Dec 3, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kostas Papanikolaou (16) drives the ball during the third quarter as Memphis Grizzlies guard

(12) defends at Toyota Center. The Rockets defeated the Grizzlies 105-96. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

High IQ

Papanikolaou may be far from a household name having only played less than 800 minutes to date in the NBA, but in any glimpses of his play that I caught last season, he never failed to leave me feeling entertained.

His game is still undoubtedly raw, but there’s a touch of intelligence about the Greek small forward’s play. Never a prolific passer in Europe, Papanikolaou perhaps used the unknown aspects of his game to his advantage last year, often showing a proficiency for smart and pretty assists.

On a team where James Harden was the incredibly dominant ball-handler in much of Papanikolaou’s time on the floor, the Greek still managed to notch 3.8 assists per 36 minutes. These dimes come from knowing when to pass up the shot in the corner, dropping off to cutting teammates; basically good basketball plays.

Check out the video below from one of the performances that really showcased  his versatility and creativity last season. Warning: Manu Ginobili may come to mind.

Next: Three-Point Shooting