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Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Trains With Top-5 Draft Prospects

Looking to be Rutgers’ highest draft picks since James Bailey was selected sixth overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979, Scarlet Knights freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have enlisted the help of none other than Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

At 29 years old, Antetokounmpo has already racked up the hardware. He can put his trophy case up against any active player, except for perhaps Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, and argue that it’s on their level or better. Him offering a hand to Bailey and Harper on their journey isn’t to be taken lightly.

Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Training With Top-5 Draft Duo Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper

In an event hosted by Nike, Antetokounmpo preached confidence after giving Bailey and Harper pointers on taking midrange jumpers.

He trash-talked with them while running the same drills.

He preached balance and timing.

Lastly, he emphasized the importance of players getting to their “kill spots.”

Few Better Role Models

Bailey and Harper training with Antetokounmpo is a great idea and not just because of the clips above.

Both of the incoming Scarlet Knights’ biggest weakness is arguably their three-point shooting, like Antetokounmpo. Yet, they’re lanky playmakers with the ability to score off-the-dribble, like Antetokounmpo. With that being said, though a steady outside jumper is a pretty useful tool, it’s not the only way players can get an edge on the competition.

Antetokounmpo is one of the players who has proven that, averaging 29.0 points per game over the past seven seasons while shooting 28.9 percent from 3. In that time, he won two NBA MVP awards.

As an athletic 6-foot-8 forward, Bailey may find it easier to replicate Antetokounmpo as a scorer. He already has a knack for finishing around the rim, which is one of the Greek Freak’s most freakish abilities. However, as a 6-foot-5 point guard, Harper has the potential to be a mismatch nightmare.

In their workout, the trio was doing plenty of skill work, focusing heavily on jumpers. With that being said, the shots they took during the drills were notably all inside the arc.

Relationships & Rutgers

There are at least two other benefits to the workouts that the workout that Bailey and Harper had with Antetokounmpo.

For one, it’s an experience that will take away some other nerves when they do get to the league. They won’t be star struck by as many, or perhaps any, competition after getting up shots with players of Antetokounmpo’s caliber. As the son of a five-time NBA champion, Harper should already be past that stage.

In the same vein, as Harper surely knows, the NBA is a boy’s club. While every player may not be buddy-buddy, there’s a fraternal bond between many of them. Those relationships can have a direct or indirect effect on their opportunities when they make it to the league.

In the meantime, Bailey and Harper will look to lead Rutgers to their first ever national title. As the highest-rated basketball recruits in program history, they’ve already brought the hype to New Jersey. Now, they need to bring the wins.

Quenton S Albertie

Quenton S Albertie

Quenton Albertie, a native of Ft. Hood, TX, is a credentialed media member with work featured on SLAM Magazine, Sports Illustrated, USA TODAY and other major publications. Currently residing in Atlanta, GA, Albertie’s favorite teams are the Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Broncos.

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