For many international players, the route to the NBA is a little different. Many, like Giannis Antetokounmpo, join a pro league in their country before entering the NBA draft. Many American-born players will go to a college program for at least a year before making the jump. In a recent interview, Giannis revealed which college program he would have chosen.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Reveals College Program Choice
Giannis did not mince words in an interview with For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky. “Definitely Duke,” he said. “You usually see a lot of four men that don’t fit the hold. I think I’m one of those guys.” He pointed to a could of examples like Zion Williamson, Jabari Parker, Jayson Tatum, and Brandon Ingram all of whom were Duke Blue Devils. He also mentions in the interview the great academics at Duke as a draw to go there. It would have been very interesting to see Giannis playing college basketball.
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What Would Giannis Have Looked Like In College?
Obviously now we would say he would have dominated but Giannis was a different player back then. In his rookie season, he only averaged 6.8 points per game. When he was drafted, analysts loved the raw talent but questioned whether he would be able to put it all together in the NBA. Giannis has definitely answered that question. He now averages 31.2 points per game this season and is a perennial MVP candidate. Still, fans can’t help but wonder what Giannis would have looked like as a college prospect.
This is what makes Giannis Antetokounmpo so fun. He does not shy away from fun hypothetical questions like which college program he would attend.
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