Giannis Antetokounmpo underwhelmed during All-Star Saturday’s Sprite Slam Dunk Contest. Now we have a better understanding of why – the league clearly just sent its invitation to the wrong Greek Freak. The Westchester Knicks’ Thanasis Anetetkounmpo didn’t end up winning the D-League’s jam-off, but still produced the event’s top moment with this nearly 540-degree jam dunk that mimicked Victor Oladipo’s from 24 hours prior.
So who’s whirling effort was better: Antetokounmpo’s or Oladipo’s?
Considering the former was surely inspired by the latter and is a bit shorter than Antetokounmpo, we’ll go with the Orlando Magic guard’s. It bears mentioning, though, that Thanasis managed to complete his slam on the first try while Oladipo needed two attempts before rocking the rim – those style points matter.
But like Oladipo’s before him, the older Greek Freak’s followings jams couldn’t stack up to his first. Jarvis Threatt of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers won the D-League Dunk Contest on the strength of these two sick slams:
Not bad for a 6-2 reserve.
By the way, the likelihood that Carmelo Anthony shuts it down for good after Sunday’s All-Star Game seems a good excuse for Westchester’s parent club to call-up Antetokounmpo. The New York Knicks certainly wouldn’t have anything to lose by playing their 2015 second-round pick late season minutes, and Thanasis’ impressive natural defensive abilities would surely translate to the NBA.
Just something for Phil Jackson to think about.
[Video via nbadleague]
