“You can’t teach height.”
That well-known sports adage is often attributed to former Boston Celtics coach and executive Red Auerbach. Every basketball player and fan has heard that phrase muttered a million times. Nearly every coach has had the famous phrase escape out of his or her mouth at least once. Giannis Antetokounmpo is about to prove them all wrong.
Technically-speaking, nobody taught Antetokounmpo how to be tall. He was taught how to survive. As the son of undocumented immigrants to Greece (from Nigeria), Antetokounmpo parents were forced to work odd jobs to make ends meet. He and his brothers hawked counterfeit merchandise on the streets to help the family stay afloat.
Let’s get back to Auerbach’s words of wisdom.
Take a look at any ‘All-Time Busts’ list and you’ll find names such as Sam Bowie, Shawn Bradley, Michael Olowokandi, Kwame Brown and other really tall guys that didn’t have the skill to match their high draft positions.
Though the big busts are seemingly endless, owners and GMs still can’t seem to stay away. The reason is because truly versatile and dynamic players are worth their weight in gold.
Wilt Chamberlain (7’1”) was an athletic wonder who dominated the post. Sure, he scored 100 points in a game but he’s also the only center in NBA history to lead the league in assists. Magic Johnson (6’9”) towered over his fellow point guards in size and dime-dropping ability. Larry Bird (6’9”) defied his height and was one of the most pure and dangerous shooters in league history.
Eventually these legends paved the way for players like Chris Webber, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James and Kevin Durant as players who defied the common expectations from players their size. The 22-year-old known as the ‘Greek Freak’ is the next step in NBA evolution. With his selection as a first-time NBA All-Star, a starter nonetheless, the league has been put on notice. Antetokounmpo is the next big thing.
His height was a gift from his parents, one that kept giving even after he was drafted into the NBA at the age of 18. According to Bucks GM John Hammond, Antetokounmpo was measured at 6-foot-8½ when he was drafted. By the end of his rookie season, the measuring tape read 6-foot-11. That doesn’t include his incredible 7-foot-3 wingspan.
Unlike the aforementioned players, Antetokounmpo was not a surefire pick when he was drafted. Mired in mediocrity, the Bucks took a flyer on a raw-but-talented kid from Greece with the 15th pick of the draft. Antetokounmpo didn’t pick up a basketball for the first time in 2009, at age 13. By 2012, he was playing basketball professionally in Greece. A year later, he was headed to the NBA.
That’s why his rookie statistics were nothing to write home about. Though he was good for a few highlight plays each night, Antetokounmpo averaged 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in his first season. However, as he was growing physically, his confidence and understanding of the game also grew. When the Bucks hired Jason Kidd, following Antetokounmpo’s rookie season, his trajectory changed.
No, Kidd doesn’t deserve all the credit for Antetokounmpo’s success. With his height and athleticism, he was bound to have some level of success. However, Kidd helped him to see the game from a point guard’s vantage point. Little by little, he exposed his star pupil to different aspects of being a floor general. Kidd and his staff worked with Antetokounmpo on dissecting passing angles, using screens, running the break, knowing when to distribute like a PG and when to dominate like a 6-foot-11 beast.
The strategy has paid off. His numbers have increased across the board every year he has been in the league. This season, Antetokounmpo is averaging 23.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.8 steals per game. He leads his team in each of those categories. If he continues the trend for the rest of the season, he’ll join James, Garnett, Scottie Pippen and Dave Cowens as the only players in history to lead their teams in five major statistical categories.
Antetokounmpo’s production is already making his new 4-year, $100 million contract look like a steal. He’s nearly unstoppable getting to the basket. His basketball I.Q. is growing exponentially. He is a lock down defender. The only semi-missing component is a reliable jump shot.
Even with that, the position-less All-Star has increased his field goal percentage ever since he’s been in the NBA. The long-range aptitude is there. During his rookie season, Antetokounmpo shot 34.7 percent on 118 attempts. Kidd reportedly banned him from shooting three pointers when he came to town and the star’s numbers dipped to 15.9% on just 44 attempts. This season, he’s shooting 28.4 percent on 95 attempts halfway through the season. Once he masters the long ball, he will truly be an unstoppable force.
To really catapult into superstardom, Antetokounmpo will have to prove that he can win. The Bucks are largely expected to make the playoffs this season. However, they are currently teetering around the #8 spot. The team is missing one of its best players in Khris Middleton. The ultimate ‘3 and D’ player, Middleton should help the Bucks spread the court when he finally returns from a severe hamstring injury. He’ll undoubtedly provide a boost to a team that is ranked 25th in made three-pointers.
Legends don’t make excuses though, they make history. Antetokounmpo is Milwaukee’s first All-Star starter since Sidney Moncrief in 1986. His next mountainous tasks will be to lead the Bucks franchise to its first championship since 1971 and/or its first MVP since 1972 (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). No, those things won’t happen this season, but make no mistake about it – they will happen.
No, you can’t teach height, and Giannis has it by the bushel. He’s also proven that you can teach him everything else. At just 22-years-old, it’s time for Antetokounmpo to begin teaching the lessons.
Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk
