Everyone knows the Greek Freak, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The general public also knows his brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo. There is now another Greek basketball player in the fold for the Milwaukee Bucks, and that is Georgios Kalaitzakis.
It’s rare that a team ends up with two former players from the same team overseas. Thanasis spent time with Panathinaikos B.C. during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. Kalaitzakis and Antetokounmpo shared the floor together in 2018. Panathinaikos B.C. was also home to former Ohio State star DeShaun Thomas, as well as Sean Kilpatrick and Nick Calathes, two former NBA players.
Kalaitzakis was selected with the 60th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by Indiana. Shortly after, his rights were traded to Milwaukee, adding him to a roster with strong representation from Greece already. As the season approaches, here are some ways that Kalaitzakis can improve in his rookie campaign.
Milwaukee Bucks: How can Georgios Kalaitzakis improve during the 2021-22 NBA season?
Background:
Kalaitzakis spent last season playing for Panathinaikos, a well-known team in Athens, a part of the EuroLeague. Prior to last season, he spent a year playing in Lithuania for Nevezis Kedainiai in 2019-20, which was arguably his best season statistically.
Additionally, he has multiple years at the FIBA level for the Greek national team, so he has seen his fair share of high-level basketball. Despite the experience, everything changes once you lace up your sneakers in the NBA.
Georgios Kalaitzakis will wear No. 18 for the #Bucks. #NBA @UniWatch pic.twitter.com/cbMmEqfxrW
— Etienne Catalan (@EtienneCatalan) August 12, 2021
Chemistry:
Along with Sandro Mamukelashvili, Tremont Waters, and Justin Robinson, Kalaitzakis will have plenty of opportunities to shine with the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s G-League affiliate.
Standing at 6-foot-8, Kalaitzakis can run the floor like a point guard while also having the ability as a slasher around the basket. It will be an interesting offense to watch develop during the 2021-22 season.
Appreciation:
There are only 60 players that are drafted each year into the NBA, and there are only a handful of undrafted players that end up making rosters. For Kalaitzakis, he is fortunate to join an exclusive club of the NBA family.
In his first press conference, one can see how excited and honored he is to be a part of the Milwaukee organization. It doesn’t hurt that the Bucks are fresh off of an NBA title with so much buzz surrounding the team heading into the new season.
Check out what he had to say after his first official NBA practice:
Closing Remarks
Barring anything unforeseen, it is not likely that Kalaitzakis will see any meaningful minutes during the 2021-22 season for Milwaukee. This is an investment that can pay off further down the line, rather than a player that is expected to contribute right away.
Think back to 2013, when former general manager Jon Horst selected the young, lanky forward from Athens, Greece. Not to say that Kalaitzakis’ ceiling is as high as the two-time MVP, but there is plenty of time for him to develop.
If there is ever another chance to give someone a nickname close to “Greek Freak,” that is something that you should buy stock in. How does a “Kalaitza-kiss off the glass” sound?