Alex Antetokounmpo 'ecstatic' to be back in Wisconsin as member of the G League's Herd
OSHKOSH – Alex Antetokounmpo leaned back in a padded black folding chair in the Oshkosh Arena with “Wisconsin” stretched across his chest. He waved his hand out across the arena and smiled.
“It’s good to be able to come back home and compete in the G League again and have another run at it,” he said.
“I’m ecstatic to be back here and be able to compete. It’s a great, great opportunity for me. It’s a blessing.”
After a sojourn through Spain and a season with Toronto of the G League, the 21-year-old Dominican High School alumnus is back in the state as a member of the Wisconsin Herd, the Milwaukee Bucks’ G League affiliate.
Acquired in late July via a trade with the Raptors 905, the youngest of the basketball playing Antetokounmpo brothers is now in the same state as Thanasis and Giannis and will open the G League season Friday night against brother Kostas, who is playing for the Windy City Bulls.
“It’s something crazy,” Thanasis said with a smile. “First of all, for my mom (Veronica), it’s a dream come true for my mom. Just to not be able to travel, to go one hour to Alex, one hour to Chicago to see Kostas. It’s amazing. I’m so proud of him. He’s really young, he’s putting in the work.”
Thanasis noted that Bucks rookie teammate MarJon Beauchamp is the same age as his brother Alex, and added that everyone’s journey to the NBA is different. Alex Antetokounmpo left Dominican to turn pro in Spain, whereas Kostas went to college first.
“I was happy, I was excited that Alex went overseas for sure, to experience that as a grown man, to see what it’s like to play for a pro team overseas,” Kostas said. “I already had a taste of that before and had some experience from what Thanasis had told me but I feel like everybody was able to experience that – other than Giannis – the professional division. He played in the second division. It’s great. It’s a new experience.”
Alex Antetokounmpo heard of the trade while he was in training camp with his brothers for the Greek national team – the first time all four donned the same jersey.
“It was unbelievable,” he said. “It was unbelievable, man. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world. I mean, it’s a dream. It’s a dream come true. We have two dreams: To be able to be on the same stage in the NBA and be able to be on the same stage competing and be able to honor our country. So, I feel as if just being able to do that it’s a big, big honor. Not everybody is privileged enough to be able to be able to compete and be able to represent their country on the same stage.”
He said he was able to process the reality of it afterward, that the next step of his professional career would occur where he earned all-state honors as a prep and in the same organization as his two older brothers.
“I feel as if whatever (Herd coach Chaisson Allen) has in store for us as far as the system, it’s going to definitely get the best out of every single player,” Alex Antetokounmpo said. “He tries to provide us freedom and to be able to go out there, show what we can do, be able to compete as long as we’re competing and go out there and be able to show what we truly can do. I feel like this system is definitely going to benefit me and every single one of my teammates.”
Herd general manager Tony Bollier acquired the 6-foot, 8-inch, 214-pound wing for Jalen Lecque as the team overhauled its roster prior to this season.
“I think there’s still a lot of upside there and he’s working,” Bollier said. “You see the work every single day. He’s getting better. He’s another one of those guys, like let’s figure out who he is and who he can be. So, for us, it’s another good opportunity, another prospect that we think is; he has upside, he has potential, let’s see what we can bring out of him.”
From top down, the Herd are an extension of the Bucks – and Antetokounmpo likes the idea that he’s going to get the same kind of instruction preferred in Milwaukee to help him continue to develop. He played just 14 games for the Raptors 905 last season and shot 50% from the field but only 38.9% from behind the three-point line (7 for 18).
He only attempted 28 shots, so his other 10 attempts all came from less than eight feet away from the rim.
“I’ve kind of watched Alex grow and now having him, brings a lot of energy to the team, can create extra possessions, gets his hands on balls, long, athletic and then can play downhill,” Allen said. “Now that he’s on the Wisconsin Herd it’ll be fun to help him develop even more.”
Herd sees potential in former Spurs draft pick Joe Wieskamp
With the No. 2 pick in the G League draft, the Herd selected former San Antonio Spurs guard Joe Wieskamp. The 6-6 guard was a second-round selection last season for the Spurs and played 29 games, shooting 32.6% from behind the three-point line.
“It was a good learning experience for sure,” he said of his rookie year. “I feel like I grew a lot, developed. I just feel like I understand the pro game a lot more. Obviously the transition to college to pro is a big step. And how you play, especially in my role as an elite three-point shooter, is how you’re coming off of screens, you’re shooting with little to no space, and being comfortable taking those shots.”
He missed summer league due to a sprained ankle but returned for the preseason before being waived, and after that happened, he had an idea the Herd might call his name in the G League draft. Wieskamp said he had a pre-NBA draft workout with the Bucks after he left Iowa and knew the team had some interest in him.
“I feel like I had a good pre-draft workout here when I came, so I’m excited to be here and I think they’re excited to have me,” he said.
The 23-year-old knows what is expected of him from the Herd – as well as the Bucks and other NBA teams – as he begins this G League season.
“Just to keep developing, just become an elite three-point shooter,” he said. “That’s the skillset that’s going to get me back to the NBA and keep me there. Just having that mindset here to just let it fly, any open look I get, I’m going to shoot it, just to be aggressive, be a good teammate, all of those different things don’t go unnoticed, and I think I have a good chance to go play well and get back to where I want to be.”
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Alex Antetokounmpo is 'ecstatic' to be part of the Wisconsin Herd.
