The Bucks re-signed Thanasis Antetokounmpo this offseason to a one-year contract with a benchwarmer role in mind. He’s now 33 years old and coming off a torn Achilles that sidelined him last year, but he appears fully healthy now. Thanasis’ main value to the Bucks comes as a veteran leader in the locker room and on the bench, but he’s shown that he can still provide some on-court value as well.
Thanasis has brought his usual high energy
In Thursday’s preseason matchup against the Pistons, Thanasis checked into the game for the final six minutes and immediately provided an energetic spark. Both Bucks players and fans were hyped to see the fan favorite take the court and showcase his skills. You could see a visible change in the energy level of the on-court lineup and the investment of the starters on the bench when Thanasis checked in.
In those six minutes, he was able to collect a nice, well-rounded stat line: four points (on 2-of-2 shooting), two rebounds, one steal, and one block. Any time Thanasis gets the ball, there is a possibility of a highlight-reel play. He had a few in this game, as his points came off an alley-oop dunk and a fancy up-and-under layup. His block also came at the rim, where he denied a Daniss Jenkins dunk attempt.
Casual fans and national media consider Thanasis to be an extremely unskilled player who’s only on an NBA roster because of his last name. But it’s clear that his athleticism is still top-tier in the league, despite his advanced age and recovery from a career-altering injury. And he also has the basketball IQ to position himself in the right places to maximize his impact.
After all, he is entering his seventh NBA season now and has seen enough action to know his own strengths and weaknesses. A younger, less mature Thanasis may have tried to fire up some threes or get more creative in his dribble moves when he finally got some preseason burn. But the current 33-year-old edition knows how to play his actual role well and bring energy that can fire up the whole team.
His energy was another bright spot in a preseason outing where the Bucks' supporting cast proved they can provide competent offense even without Giannis. The Bucks have been written off on paper by many fans and media members, but they could easily surprise a lot of people if they continue this momentum.
Thanasis looked completely healthy and was jumping out of the gym on many plays. He looked capable of providing positive value in whatever minutes he plays. His on-court contributions will also give him more credibility in the locker room, where he can serve as a vocal leader for the team and take pressure off his brother Giannis to play that same leadership role.
The Bucks' success this season will depend on keeping team morale high, and Thanasis will have an important role to play there.