Milwaukee Bucks Roster 2015: Giannis Antetokounmpo To Play All Five Positions
Giannis Antetokounmpo will have to make continuous adjustments, as he is expected to play all five positions at least for the early part of the 2015-16 NBA season.
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd confirmed that Antetokounmpo is tipped to play all five positions, while the team is waiting for the return of second-year forward Jabari Parker.
"He's 20 years old, and he's going to play every position for us," Kidd said via ESPN. "He's never complaining. He just goes out there and plays."
Antetokounmpo, who was selected 15th overall during the 2013 NBA Draft, has played both forward positions in his first two years in the league. He was also used as point guard in Greece before turning professional.
While his frame is not as developed as most power forwards in the league, Antetokounmpo sounded confident that he can stand toe-to-toe with bigger fours and centers in the league, and can stay in front of guards.
"I don't really look in front of me if it's a point guard, if it's a big guy," said Antetokounmpo, who averaged 12.7 points on top of 6.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game last season. "I think I can guard everybody, even the small guys, even the big guys. I'm going to do what I do as hard as possible."
Antetokounmpo is expected to make his season debut in their second game of the 2015-16 NBA season against the Washington Wizards, as he is not permitted to play in their season opener due to league suspension following his unsportsmanlike foul against Chicago Bulls veteran Mike Dunleavy during the 2015 NBA Playoffs.
The Bucks, who lost to the Bulls in six games during their first-round playoff series, will go up against the New York Knicks in their season opener.
Aside from Antetokounmpo, the Bucks will also miss the services of Parker, who is still trying to get his rhythm back after undergoing knee surgery to repair a torn ACL last season. Kidd told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Parker will likely return to action at some point next month barring any setback.
Parker, who is the 2014 second overall pick behind Minnesota Timberwolves budding superstar Andrew Wiggins, averaged 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in 25 games last season.
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