Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

Kostas Antetokounmpo

Olympic Notes: Gabriel, Exum, K. Antetokounmpo, Galloway

July 22nd, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Veteran NBA big man Wenyen Gabriel believes South Sudan is ready to become a force in international basketball, writes Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops. Before taking on the world’s best teams at the Olympics, the Bright Stars got plenty of attention by nearly upsetting Team USA in an exhibition game on Saturday.

“A lot of people around the world don’t know what South Sudan was, but today we were able to represent our country with pride, put up a good fight, and show them the potential of our country,” Gabriel said. “It was a proud moment for a lot of people. Obviously, we wanted to win, we played really well and I’m really proud of my teammates, the heart we showed, the dedication, and trying to put respect on our name, and to get our country respected.”

South Sudan has built a competitive basketball program since gaining its independence from Sudan 13 years ago. Former NBA star Luol Deng has financed the effort, but the nation is still in the process of building its first indoor basketball court. Gabriel is looking forward to seeing young South Sudanese players develop their skills as facilities become more widespread.

“There are some tall kids back in the village, I remember I came back home to South Sudan to visit them, and they didn’t have any opportunities,” he added. “Seven feet tall and they’re herding cows. Some people around the world don’t have the opportunity to play basketball for a living, to go shoot hoops, to go fish for food, do different things to survive. Today was an example and something to bring us together.”

There’s more on the Olympics:

  • An injured finger won’t prevent Mavericks guard Dante Exum from playing in the Olympics, according to ESPN Australia. Exum had to leave Sunday’s exhibition game against France after hurting the finger on a drive to the basket, but X-rays showed it’s a compound dislocation rather than a fracture. “Any time one of your key pieces goes down there’s some degree of concern,” Australian teammate Jock Landale said. “They’ve cleared him for play and Dante’s a pretty tough individual … he’s definitely a key piece of the puzzle for us.”
  • Kostas Antetokounmpo has been ruled out for Greece due to a knee injury, per a Eurohoops report. Doctors determined that the former Mavericks and Lakers forward hasn’t made enough progress in his recovery to receive medical clearance. Giannis Antetokounmpo will headline the Greek roster, but Thanasis Antetokounmpo will also be sidelined as he recovers from Achilles surgery.
  • Langston Galloway talked to Marc J. Spears of Andscape about his unique experience with USA Basketball. After being part of the Select Team that scrimmaged against Team USA in Las Vegas, Galloway was offered the opportunity to travel with the squad and fill a reserve spot during exhibition play. “It’s just a full-circle moment because I played against so many of these guys during my time in the NBA,” Galloway said. “Everybody knows what I can do, and I continue to showcase that. They know I can do it. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time. And hey, maybe it’s a full-circle moment. Maybe I’ll be able to get back in the league at some point.”
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Olympics Notes: Kerr, LeBron, Hayes-Davis, K. Antetokounmpo

July 21st, 2024 at 4:04pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

As Team USA gears up to try to earn its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics, head coach Steve Kerr has been impressed by the efforts of 39-year-old Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James, both during practices and exhibition games, writes Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops.

“I’m blown away by his effort, concentration, and focus every single drill,” Kerr said. “He talks, and even in a shootaround, he walks through his voice behind the play, yelling out the scheme. His leadership by example. The guy is incredible. I’ve known that forever, but to see it out close, it’s pretty special.”

James is participating in his fourth Olympic games with Team USA, but his first since 2012. After settling for bronze in 2004, Team USA re-tooled, and James won gold in 2008 and ’12 with more team-oriented rosters.

There’s more from the Olympics:

  • Former NBA forward Nigel Hayes-Davis has been suiting up for the USA Select Team, playing alongside Team USA ahead of the Paris Olympics this week. The 6’8″ Fenerbahce swingman discussed his tenure with the Select Team, per Cesare Milantiigel of Eurohoops. “My agent Kevin Bradbury told me something about the USA thing. It was during the season, so I really didn’t pay attention to it. I had other things I was focusing on,” Hayes-Davis said. “I didn’t know what my duties and roles would be. But it’s a tremendous opportunity and it surpasses even what I imagined it would be. I apologize for being long with it, but this is something you couldn’t pay money to be a part of as a basketball player.”
  • Former Mavericks and Lakers forward Kostas Antetokounmpo is waiting on a medical green light with regard to whether or not he can suit up for Olympic competition for the Greek national team, according to Eurohoops. The program will make a final determination on Monday.
  • After almost falling to South Sudan in a Saturday pre-Olympics warm-up game, Team USA can now better appreciate just how formidable some of its foes may be this summer.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

International Notes: Giannis, Jokic, Ibaka

June 9th, 2024 at 5:18pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

All-NBA Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo leads Greece’s preliminary roster heading into July’s qualifiers for this year’s Paris Olympics, slated for July 2-7, per Eurohoops.

Antetokounmpo is the headliner on an 18-man roster that also includes his brother Kostas Antetokounmpo, who spent three years in the NBA with the Mavericks and Lakers. A third Antetokounmpo brother, Bucks backup Thanasis Antetokounmpo, won’t be available as he recuperates from Achilles surgery.

Panathinaikos guard, Kostas Sloukas, this year’s EuroLeague Final Four MVP, is the other marquee name joining the group.

There’s more from around the basketball world:

  • Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets remains undecided about playing for Team Serbia in this year’s Olympics, head coach Svetislav Pesic revealed during a guest appearance on the Politika podcast (hat tip to Eurohoops for the transcription). “Nikola Jokic’s participation alone certainly means something in every sense,” Pesic said regarding the All-NBA big man’s theoretical presence on the club. “From both the aspect of his individual quality and from the aspect of personality that Jokic is. Because when I say that Jokic is a better guy than he is a player, they all faint. Like, ‘You’re courting Jokic.’ Of course I’m courting him, because I want to point that out.”
  • 14-year NBA big man Serge Ibaka is reportedly signing a one-year contract to play for top EuroLeague club Real Madrid, per Javier Maestro of Encestando. In 2023/24, Ibaka transitioned back to European hoops, joining Bayern Munich, whom he paced in points, rebounds and blocks, per Eurohoops. During his prime with the Thunder, Ibaka was a three-time All-Defensive First Teamer. He won a league title with the Raptors in 2019.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

World Cup Notes: Team USA, Portis, K. Antetokounmpo, Poirier

August 13th, 2023 at 10:33am CST by Arthur Hill

Team USA enjoyed its second straight rout in exhibition play ahead of the FIBA World Cup, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. The Americans pulled away in the second half Saturday for a 30-point win over a Slovenian team without Luka Doncic, who sat out the game with a minor knee issue.

Combined with Monday’s victory over Puerto Rico, the U.S. has outscored its opponents by 73 points in two games. The competition will get tougher in today’s matchup with Spain, but head coach Steve Kerr is happy to see his players buy into a team concept so quickly.

“We put together the team with the idea of having a lot of good passers and play-makers,” Kerr said. “And with this team, we’ve seen through the first two exhibition games, everybody can pass. And so we really want to push the tempo and attack closeouts because once we put it on the floor, we know these guys will distribute it and move it all over again.

“And you know, I thought we almost overdid it tonight. I thought at times we had over threes and we drove and kicked it down, which as a coach, you never want to criticize your players for that because you’re always trying to get them involved.”

There’s more on the World Cup:

  • Bobby Portis is disappointed that he won’t get to match up with Bucks teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo when Team USA faces Greece in an exhibition contest next week and again in pool play, Vardon adds. Antetokounmpo announced Friday that he will miss the World Cup as he continues to recover from minor knee surgery. “Obviously I’m sad, he’s sad, that he can’t play in the World Cup, but maybe that’s good for the Bucks,” Portis said.
  • Greece will also be without Kostas Antetokounmpo, who was declared out with an injury on Sunday, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. A former NBA player with the Mavericks and Lakers, Antetokounmpo represented Greece in last year’s EuroBasket and the Olympic qualifying tournament in 2021.
  • Former Celtics and Sixers center Vincent Poirier has joined the French team because of uncertainty surrounding Knicks draft-and-stash player Mathias Lessort, who is sidelined with an ankle issue, per Eurohoops. France is also adding Isaïa Cordinier in the wake of Frank Ntilikina‘s hamstring injury.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Kostas Antetokounmpo Signs With Fenerbahce

December 19th, 2022 at 7:55am CST by Arthur Hill

After clearing waivers on Sunday, Kostas Antetokounmpo has signed with Fenerbahce in Turkey for the rest of the season, according to Eurohoops.

Panathinaikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv also had interest in Antetokounmpo, per Eurohoops, but Fenerbahce had an advantage because of coach Dimitris Itoudis, who also coaches the Greek national team. Fenerbahce needs help at power forward because of injuries to a pair of former NBA players, Johnathan Motley and Nemanja Bjelica.

Antetokounmpo, 25, began the season on a two-way contract with the Bulls, but was waived Friday to make room for Carlik Jones. He didn’t appear in any games after signing with Chicago shortly before the start of training camp, but averaged 11.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in 12 games with the G League’s Windy City Bulls.

Antetokounmpo saw limited NBA action after being selected with the 60th pick in the 2018 draft. He got into two games during his lone season with the Mavericks and 20 combined games during two years with the Lakers.

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Bulls Waive Kostas Antetokounmpo, Sign Carlik Jones To Two-Way Deal

December 16th, 2022 at 4:19pm CST by Rory Maher

The Bulls have waived forward Kostas Antetokounmpo, who was on a two-way deal, and signed guard Carlik Jones to fill their two-way opening, the team announced (via Twitter).

Jones, who turns 25 next week, was a rookie last season after going undrafted out of Louisville. He appeared in five NBA games in 2021/22 on 10-day hardship deals with the Mavericks and Nuggets, but spent most of his rookie year playing with the Texas Legends, the Mavs’ G League affiliate.

Jones played for the Bulls’ Summer League team in 2022 and was later signed to an Exhibit 10 deal, but was waived before the season started. He has spent all of this season with Chicago’s G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, averaging 20.9 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 7.6 APG and 1.2 SPG on .529/.431/.667 shooting through 14 games (34.4 MPG).

The second-year guard was on our list of five G League players making bids for NBA call-ups due to their strong performances, and now that has come to fruition.

Although he has appeared in NBA games in three separate seasons (from 2018-21), Antetokounmpo has never played a regular rotation role during previous stops with the Mavericks and Lakers. The 25-year-old has logged just 87 total minutes in 22 games, putting up 21 points and 23 rebounds during his limited action.

Antetokounmpo, who spent last season with French club ASVEL, originally signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Bulls this fall, but had it converted to a two-way deal before the season started. He didn’t appear in any NBA games, but played in 12 games (28.9 MPG) for Windy City, averaging 11.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 1.3 BPG on .670/.200/.500 shooting.

According to a report from Eurohoops.net, at least three EuroLeague teams are interested in Antetokounmpo’s services, including Greece’s Panathinaikos, Turkey’s Fenerbahce, and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv. Antetokounmpo is the younger brother of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Bulls Convert Kostas Antetokounmpo To Two-Way Contract

October 14th, 2022 at 3:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls have signed forward Kostas Antetokounmpo to a two-way contract, the team announced today (via Twitter).

Technically, Antetokounmpo, who was in camp with the Bulls on an Exhibit 10 contract, had that deal converted into a two-way pact. Teams are allowed to turn Exhibit 10s into two-ways at any time up until October 17, assuming the player meets the two-way criteria. Antetokounmpo, the younger brother of Giannis Antetokounmpo, has just three years of NBA experience, so he fits the bill.

Although he has appeared in NBA games in three separate seasons, Antetokounmpo has never played a regular rotation role during previous stops with the Mavericks and Lakers. The 24-year-old has logged just 87 total minutes in 22 games, putting up 21 points and 23 rebounds during his limited action.

Malcolm Hill and Justin Lewis had previously held the Bulls’ two-way contract slots. The Bulls haven’t announced that they’ve waived either player, but K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago suggests that Lewis, who sustained an ACL injury this summer, will be the odd man out. Lewis will remain around the team during his recovery process, Johnson writes.

In other Bulls roster news, the club has signed former NBA forward Okaro White to a contract, per RealGM’s transaction log. White is still listed as part of the roster on the team’s official website, but will likely be waived in the next 24 hours or so and eventually join the Windy City Bulls, Chicago’s G League team.

Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Bulls Notes: DeRozan, K. Antetokounmpo, Dosunmu, Offense

October 3rd, 2022 at 4:14pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls star DeMar DeRozan isn’t worried about his play declining as he enters his 14th season, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. DeRozan turned 33 years old in August.

“As long as you take care of yourself, as long as you work, technology is completely different,” DeRozan said. “It’s not like I’m Kevin Willis [who retired at 44] out here or anything like that. Shout-out to Kevin Willis.

“I’m just saying, there are so many ways to take care of yourself — physically, mentally, nutrition, the technology that you have for recovery. There are so many ways that you can be effective longer periods of time.”

It makes sense that DeRozan would dismiss his age potentially being an issue considering he’s coming off arguably the best season of his accomplished career. In 76 games (36.1 MPG) in 2021/22, the five-time All-Star averaged a career-high 27.9 PPG on .504/.350/.877 shooting along with 5.2 RPG and 4.9 APG.

DeRozan says the stacked Eastern Conference is fueling him to reach greater heights in ’22/23.

“I love the competitive island that the East is on,” DeRozan said, per Cowley. “You have to compete. For me, people get so caught up in the rankings, but you put me in a room with the best, and it brings out the best in me. That’s the approach that we have to take this whole season. This is the toughest the East has been since I’ve been in the league.”

Here’s more from Chicago:

  • Kostas Antetokounmpo, who is signed to an Exhibit 10 deal, recently had an interview with K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago about training camp, EuroBasket, his brother Giannis Antetokounmpo, and more. Kostas says he doesn’t feel pressure to try and have his contract converted to a two-way deal. “I just stay the course, try to get better, try to help the team as much as I can,” he said. “Everything is meant to be. If you get it, you get it. If you don’t, move on to the next opportunity. The goal is just to get better. When I’m said and done, I’m going to say I became the best player I could.”
  • Veteran guard Goran Dragić says Ayo Dosunmu has impressed him during training camp, as Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago relays. “I really like Ayo. He’s a great kid,” Dragić said after Monday’s practice when asked which of his new teammates has stood out the most. “He really listens and he’s really asking questions. For me, it’s just to guide him on the right path. He has such a great talent and he’s a positive kid. He really surprised me.” Dosunmu earned a second-team All-Rookie nod last season and will look to build on that entering year two.
  • The Bulls are looking to add elements of randomness into their offense this season after it became predictable at times in ’21/22, Schaefer notes in another article. “Free-flowing. Quick reads. For isolation, one on one players, we’re going to get a couple of those shots up. That’s part of our game. But quick reads. Fast decisions,” Zach LaVine said as part of a larger quote when asked to describe the Bulls’ offense. “The ball should be popping side to side. Being able to use different players in different spots. We’re not just going to be stuck on the sideline doing a pick and roll or rolling it into the post.”
  • After the Bulls went 46-36 and finished sixth in the East last season, John Hollinger of The Athletic predicts the team will take a step back in ’22/23 and finish with a 40-42 record and the ninth seed. Hollinger writes that Lonzo Ball‘s knee injury will hurt the team’s playoff chances, and he thinks Patrick Williams is arguably the team’s most important player and might be the key to unlocking more wins if he improves.
Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Contract Details: Lakers, Galloway, DSJ, McCollum, More

September 30th, 2022 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

When the Lakers signed Matt Ryan and Dwayne Bacon to non-guaranteed training camp contracts earlier this month, both players received Exhibit 9 clauses in their new deals, but not Exhibit 10s, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Exhibit 9 contracts are non-guaranteed camp deals that don’t count against the cap during the preseason and offer teams some protection in the event of an injury. Exhibit 10s are similar, but also allow teams to convert the player to a two-way deal (if he’s eligible) or to give him a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate.

As a general rule, a player who signs a training camp contract without an Exhibit 10 clause is usually just competing for a spot on his team’s 15-man regular season roster and won’t end up playing for the club’s G League affiliate if he doesn’t make the cut.

Langston Galloway (Pacers), Dennis Smith Jr. (Hornets), LiAngelo Ball (Hornets), Cody Zeller (Jazz), Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (Suns), and Wes Iwundu (Trail Blazers) are among the other recently signed free agents who signed Exhibit 9 – not Exhibit 10 – contracts.

Here are a few more contract details from around the NBA:

Retweet 7 Share 0 Send via email0

Kostas Antetokounmpo Joins Bulls On Training Camp Deal

September 26th, 2022 at 10:48am CST by Arthur Hill

SEPTEMBER 26: The Bulls have officially announced their 20-man camp roster and Antetokounmpo is on it, signaling that his deal with the team is now official.

SEPTEMBER 18: The Bulls will sign Kostas Antetokounmpo to a training camp contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Antetokounmpo will be given a chance to compete for a two-way roster spot, sources tell Charania. Those slots are currently filled by Justin Lewis, who recently suffered a torn ACL, and Malcolm Hill.

Antetokounmpo, 24, hopes to return to the NBA after spending last season with the French team ASVEL in the EuroLeague. After being selected with the final pick in the 2018 draft, he earned two-way contracts with the Mavericks and Lakers and won a championship ring in 2020. Antetokounmpo appeared in 22 total games over three seasons, averaging 1.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in four minutes per night.

Chicago has an open spot remaining on its 20-man offseason roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to add Antetokounmpo.

Retweet 7 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts