

So i bought the today's Sport Day sports paper ( Greek one) and it got a huge interview with Giannis, Hammond foster while it talks about Sweeney,Parker,Kidd and even Charles Garden.

Il starτ with Giannis. The Greek reporting and writing this is called Pavlos Depolas ( Παυλος Δεπολλας) .



It was the morning of a game day between Bucks and Nets at Brooklyn. Few minutes before the ending of the Bucks closed practice when the door finally opens. Everyone, even the Australian colleague ( who came for his compatriot Mathew Dellavedova ) and our own... neighbor ( from Gazztta dello Sport who is mainly stationed in New York) fell upon the <<Greek Freak>>, the only player that had besides him a team personnel ( Sweeney) taking some notes on his tablet.

We started the talk in Greek.



P.D: "Even after the end of practice it seems the work never stops" we ask.



G.A "Thats right,Shawn Sweeney helps me a lot and there always should be room to ...gather information" said Giannis before he starts his interview.



G.A "Im absolutely pleased with situation on the Bucks and that shows it on my game" said Giannis.



A game that has transformed him into one of the most hot names in the NBA : 22 points, 9 rebound , 6 assists and lots of flirting with triple double .In all this, we also got him when he was voted ans the Easter Player of the Week!



G.A "I don't like to talk about me, through the wins of my team i will reach even higher."said the leader of the <<deer>> ,who are on the road to the play offs with a record of 11-12.



P.D "Will you manage to return to play offs ?"

G.A "We hope so, we got good fundamentals in all places and we will give everything till the end "

P.D "What are you working on at the moment ?"

G.A "Whatever i can.There are still lots of room for my personal growth and improvement . In Free Throws for example its evident . "

P.D " What about the three pointers?"

G.A "Im working on it daily and im not afraid to shoot anymore"

P.D "Your name is heavily implied in the All star Game..."

G.A "I don't bother with it , if it comes it comes, thats it "

P.D "Will you manage to come this summer for the next Eurobasket ?"

G.A "No matter how hard my program is the National Team is something i think about all the time and i want to join it in Finland as long of course i got my health in tact and all will happen. "

Giannis then proceeds to talk about his connections with other Greek friends .

G.A "yeah i still talk with them especially the guys from Filaflitikos, Kamperidis,Gika....""

P.D "Thanasis as well we assume..."

G.A "of course, i never had doubt that my brother would do fantastic in Andora".



After a small farewell and new planned meeting after the game which the bucks star lead the team with 23 points , 8 rebounds, 8 assists towards the win.

Once again everyone at the locker room got their eyes on Giannis.

P.D " Are the two three pointers more important or the 0 turnovers ?" we managed to ask him..

G.A "Even if i had 6 turnovers the win is the only thing that matters, everyone makes mistakes"

P.D " Talent or work is the secret ( for success) "

G.A "Work, only by working you become better as you go"

That said an extremely talented alien athlete !





John Hammond reminiscences on teen Antetokounmpo and bets on how far he will go.

Yes, it was John Hammond. The general manger of the Bucks, best in the season 2009-2010 ,when he got the award.We are talking about the same person that <<smelled>> later on the treasure in the Antetokounmpo by making many more trips in Greek A2 courts watching him.

In 2013 he had no hesitation to give the 15th pick for an unknown player from Filaflitikos who was still underage!



Risk ? "My work always got risk but in case of Giannis he managed quickly to justify our trust."said the 62 years old GM,while taking few moments to eat his delicious cake.



J.H " His bodywork and the room of improvement were recommending an amazing project and i wasnt afraid taking him despite his age. He was always focus and decisive to work hard in order to become a top class player" Which happen. He then continues..

" its a mutual relationship , we are growing as a team and together Giannis grows with us.he likes us and we like him.He is adding to his game more things,reducing his early mistakes that the used to make when he first joined the NBA ....

P.D "So whats left in order for him to become an established super star in the league ? "we rudely intrude.

J.H " He needs to become a dangerous outside shooter. He needs to add the three point shot to his arsenal . If that happens , which i believe it will then the minimum we gonna expect from him is gonna be continuous visit to the all star games." Said Hammond as he raises the expectation sky high.



The greatest talent hunter and producer was also called John Hammond,which introduced to the people from Bob Dylan to Bruce Springsteen.This own tho will have as discovery of his career a kid from Sepolia....





Greg Foster remembers his run at Papagou ( Greek team) and explain how Giannis is.... on fire!

It was one hour before the jumpball we saw a familiar face on the court .

Yes, it was Greg Foster, the center from Papagou in season 1993-1994. The era where even the smallest A1 teams were drawing attention from even NBA talent.



Some coincidence that same Greg Foster at age of 48 is at the same team as the Greek star of Milwaukee .



G.F "Maybe its my fate to work alongside with people from this magnificent country ""his first comment as we introduced to him. later on as the game ended we managed to speak to him at the locker room.



G.F " Giannis is a kid that always wants to learn new things . that is the reason why he shows such an amazing improvement in such small time.The most important for me is that he is very intelligent player, you tell him one thing and he understands much more. Not many players got such great perception ..."

P.D "So how are you days living and working with him ?"

G.F "Unfortunately ... he is working mainly on the perimeter so we dont have many personal or specific training but because of his height sometime sim couching him as well and all i can say is that he is a hard worker and got the right mentality to become a great player"

P.D"What about your memories in Greece ?"

G.F "We had a family clime at Papagou.I was hanging out with my colleague Tod Mitchel and i was surprised how many big names were gathered together. One Saturday i was playing against James Donaldson , another it was against Roy Tarpley...."



All that from someone that played in ten NBA teams and won the championship with the Lakers in 2001.