Everyone knows the Greek freak Giannis Antetokounmpo. The general public also knows his brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo. There is now another Greek basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks and that is Georgios Kalaitzakis.
It is rare for a team with two former players from the same team to end up abroad. Thanasis spent time with Panathinaikos BC during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. Kalaitzakis and Antetokounmpo split the floor in 2018. Panathinaikos BC was also home to former Ohio State stars DeShaun Thomas, as well as Sean Kilpatrick and Nick Calathes, two former NBA players.
Kalaitzakis was selected by Indiana with the 60th pick in the 2021 NBA draft. Shortly afterwards his rights to Milwaukee were swapped, whereby he was already included in a list with strong representation from Greece. As the season approaches, here are some ways Kalaitzakis can improve on his rookie campaign.
Milwaukee Bucks: How Can Georgios Kalaitzakis Improve In The 2021/22 NBA Season?
Background:
Kalaitzakis played for Panathinaikos, a well-known team in Athens and part of the EuroLeague, last season. Before last season, he played for Nevezis Kedainiai in Lithuania for a year in 2019-20, which statistically was arguably his best season.
In addition, he has worked at the FIBA level for the Greek national team for several years so that he has his share of high level basketball. Despite the experience, everything changes when you lace up your sneakers in the NBA.
Chemistry:
Along with Sandro Mamukelashvili, Tremont Waters and Justin Robinson, Kalaitzakis will have plenty of opportunities to shine with the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s G-League daughter.
At a height of 6 feet-8, Kalaitzakis can walk the ground like a point guard while having the ability to slit the basket. It will be an interesting offensive to watch the development in the 2021/22 season.
Recognition:
There are only 60 players drafted into the NBA each year, and there are only a handful of undrafted players who end up making up squads. For Kalaitzakis, he is fortunate enough to join an exclusive NBA family club.
At his first press conference one can see how excited and honored he is to be part of the Milwaukee organization. It doesn’t hurt that the Bucks are fresh from an NBA title and that there is so much buzz about the team in the new season.
Check out what he had to say after his first official NBA training session:
closing remarks
Barring the unforeseen, Kalaitzakis is unlikely to see meaningful minutes for Milwaukee in the 2021-22 season. This is an investment that can pay off later, and not a player who is expected to contribute immediately.
Think back to 2013 when former general manager Jon Horst selected the young, lanky striker from Athens, Greece. Not to say that Kalaitzakis’ cap is as high as the two-time MVP, but he has plenty of time to develop.
If ever there’s a chance again of nickname someone close to “Greek Freak”, buy that in stocks. What does a “Kalaitza kiss from the glass” sound like?
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