Thanasis Antetokounmpo to Knicks: Latest Contract Details, Comments, Reaction
After spending last season in the NBA Development League, guard Thanasis Antetokounmpo agreed to terms on a contract with the New York Knicks on Friday.
The move was made official by the official Twitter account of Knicks PR, and although terms of the deal were not disclosed, ESPN.com's Ian Begley reported Wednesday that it was expected to be a two-year pact.
Antetokounmpo was selected with the No. 51 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Knicks, and he is the brother of highly touted Milwaukee Bucks phenom Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 23-year-old had an opportunity to sign overseas last season, according to Begley, but he declined.
That decision is now paying dividends, as the high-energy grinder from Greece will have an opportunity to make an impact in the NBA during the upcoming campaign.
Antetokounmpo was very solid for the Westchester Knicks last season, averaging nearly 14 points and over six rebounds per game. Former Westchester head coach Kevin Whitted was extremely complimentary of Antetokounmpo's tenacity, per Begley.
"That's Thanasis," Whitted said. "He wants to get up into you. He's a guy who wants to defend. He was just trying to initiate pressure and create some excitement from a defensive standpoint. We don't really have a problem with that."
That hard-working style carried over into the NBA Summer League, where he did enough to impress the Knicks brass. He also made an impression on Steven Barnhart of Hardwood Hoops Central:
"Thanasis Antetokounmpo should get a spot in the NBA. Projected as a 2 bc of height, but plays really hard. Love his energy.
— Steven Barnhart (@HWHoopsCentral) July 18, 2015"
Antetokounmpo enters an advantageous situation with the Knicks, as they have very little at the shooting guard position behind Arron Afflalo.
That isn't to say that he will receive a ton of playing time from day one, but if his motor is on full display and he does enough to prove to head coach Derek Fisher that he is an NBA-caliber player, then Antetokounmpo at least has an opportunity to become part of New York's rotation in the near future.
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