Lakers Sign Giannis' Brother Kostas Antetokounmpo to New 2-Way Contract

The Los Angeles Lakers announced the re-signing of Kostas Antetokounmpo to a two-way contract Thursday. 

The younger brother of two-time defending MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 14.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 assists in 38 appearances (37 starts) for the G League's South Bay Lakers last season. 

He also made five appearances with the Lakers last season, averaging 1.4 points in four minutes per game. The Lakers have Devontae Cacok on their other two-way deal. Both players can appear in up to 50 games for the Lakers this season, given the league's revised two-way rules. 

The 23-year-old Antetokounmpo was the No. 60 overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2018 NBA draft, though his draft rights were traded to the Dallas Mavericks. The Dayton product spent his rookie season primarily playing for the G League's Texas Legend, making just two appearances for the Mavs. 

The 6'10", 200-pound forward is one of three Antetokounmpo brothers in the NBA, joining older brothers Giannis and Thanasis, both who play for the Milwaukee Bucks. There will inevitably be speculation that having Kostas Antetokounmpo on the roster is a ploy by the Lakers to potentially lure Giannis to Los Angeles as a free agent next summer, assuming he doesn't sign a supermax contract extension with the Bucks before Dec. 21. 

But that seems a bit unfair to his younger brother, who played well in the G League last season and is attempting to make his own mark at the NBA level. And hey, he has one thing Giannis doesn't—an NBA title.