Giannis Antetokounmpo was a long, skinny unknown from the Greek second division when the Milwaukee Bucks drafted him 15th overall in 2013.
Now, just over three years later, the 21-year-old Antetokounmpo is a $100 million dollar man.
Antetokounmpo and the Bucks agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract extension, a league source said Monday. The team later announced the signing, and a news conference to announce the deal is planned for Tuesday.
Antetokounmpo will be entering the final year of his rookie-scale contract this season and the extension will kick in during the 2017-18 season.
Bucks coach Jason Kidd moved the young player to point guard last season and Antetokounmpo responded with five triple-doubles as he made a quick adjustment to his new role.
The 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo appeared in 80 games with Milwaukee last season and averaged career highs in minutes (35.3), points (16.9), rebounds (7.7), assists (4.3) and field goal percentage (50.6 percent).
He played for Greece in Olympic qualifying action this summer before returning to Milwaukee to prepare for the coming season. The Bucks open training camp in Madison, Wis., next week.
"Giannis looks great," Bucks coach Jason Kidd said Monday before the team's annual golf outing at Westmoor Country Club in Brookfield. Wis. "We're looking for great things from him. Giannis and Jabari (Parker) put in the time, Michael (Carter-Williams) too. There are a lot of guys who have put in the time in the summer to get better.
"Now it's a matter of bringing it all together and growing as a team. We were all disappointed last year but we can learn from last year."
Antetokounmpo accepted slightly less than the maximum salary of $106 million over four years, a move that could help the Bucks keep their young core together and maintain flexibility for the team to sign Parker when his turn for an extension comes up next year.
Bucks guard Matthew Dellavedova, who played with LeBron James and the world champion Cleveland Cavaliers last season before signing a multiyear deal with Milwaukee as a free agent, already has seen enough to know Antetokounmpo can be an elite player.
"I'm really excited," Dellavedova said of playing with Antetokounmpo and Parker. "I can't wait to get started. They're really hungry to get started, hungry to win.
"There's only a few people in the world that have that kind of athleticism. They've been in every day putting in the work, and they've already been asking questions. 'What does LeBron do? What does he work on?' Any questions they've got, if I can help them out a little bit, that's my job, to make them better here."
Antetokounmpo is expected to handle playmaking duties again this season, with help from Dellavedova and Carter-Williams.
"Obviously, being on a team with LeBron and Kyrie (Irving) and Kevin (Love), they drew a lot of attention," Dellavedova said. "I think a lot of teams focus on Giannis and Jabari and clogging up those driving lanes for them and for Khris (Middleton) and Greg (Monroe) in the post. I think I can provide some three-point shooting and with Giannis, I can play on or off the ball."
Former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant met with Antetokounmpo in the Lakers' locker room after a game in Milwaukee in February and implored the Bucks player to work on his shooting. Antetokounmpo posted the first triple-double of his career that night with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a Bucks victory.
Antetokounmpo has averaged 12.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists over his first three pro seasons. He has played 238 games and made 173 starts.
He finished third in the league's most improved player voting last season, behind award winner CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers and Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets.
"As we move into the future, we feel he has a chance to develop into an elite player," Bucks general manager John Hammond said.
