Kostas Antetokounmpo, the only member of the Antetokounmpo family with a ring, will sign a four-year deal with Olympiacos. The return to Greece will end Kostas' two-year tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers (and possibly NBA career), which included the 2019-20 championship in the bubble.
Christos Harpidis of betcornernews reported the pact on Friday. Sportando previously reported that the 23-year old was closing in on a multi-year deal with Olympiacos.
💣Kostas Antetokounmpo to Olympiacos is a done deal and the 23-year old center will sign a four-year contract,per @Totalbasketgr sources and I totally confirm @TolisLeoussis from @overfmgr.
More to follow after the games of Greek NT. #Euroleague #OlympiacosBc @Kostas_ante13
— Christos Harpidis (@chrisalucard) July 2, 2021
Antetokounmpo, who appeared in 15 games for Los Angeles in 2020-21 on a two-way contract, left the Lakers during the playoffs to return to his native Greece for personal reasons. The youngest of the three Antetokounmpos to play in the NBA (remarkable) averaged 0.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in 3.7 minutes per game. He played in five games for the Lakers in 2019-20.
Champ champ is feeling himself 😂🔥📸 pic.twitter.com/ZzsJErpuwo
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) October 29, 2020
Kostas recently joined the Greek national team — coached by Rick Pitino — for the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament currently taking place in Victoria, Canada. Antetokounmpo dropped seven points in 13 minutes in Greece's 105-80 victory over China on Thursday. The Tokyo Olympics begin on July 24.
Olympiacos is one of the most decorated clubs in all of Europe, having won three EuroLeague titles, a FIBA Intercontinental Cup, a Triple Crown, and 12 Greek championships, and nine Greek Cups.
Antetokounmpo was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the final pick in the 2018 draft and was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on draft night. He played in two games for the Mavs before being released from his two-way contract.
The Lakers' signing of Kostas in July 2019 — and re-signing in Nov. 2020 — was seen as a possible recruiting tactic for Giannis before the two-time MVP inked his supermax extension before the 2020-21 season tipped off.
Guess we won't be seeing an Anthony Davis-LeBron James-Giannis Antetokounmpo Big Three in purple-and-gold, after all. Sorry, Lakers fans.
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