In a wide-ranging interview about his involvement with an NIL program to honor walk-on college basketball players, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo said he wishes he had the chance to take part in college basketball. Antetokounmpo revealed he only got one college offer and it came from a mid-major school.
“When I was 15, I was “highly recruited” by Old Dominion. That was my only offer,” Antetokounmpo said.
He added that he wished he had the chance to experience at least one season playing in college.
“You see all these college players when they make it to the league, they talk about their experience and how fun it was, and how different the environment was for them,” Antetokounmpo said. “I came to the NBA when I was 18. I didn’t have the opportunity to experience being around classmates: Lift weights in the morning, go to class, then go to practice, and see all the fans at the game. I did not have the chance to experience that. I came immediately here. So I would definitely have wanted to go to college and have that experience.”
When asked what school he would have liked to play for, Antetokounmpo picked one of college basketball’s bluebloods.
“Definitely Duke,” Antetokounmpo said. “I like Duke because of the players that came out of that program. You usually see a lot of four men that don’t fit the mold. I think I’m one of those guys. I’m 6’11” and I can handle the ball and pass the ball and get in the paint. You see a lot of people like that who came out of that program: Zion Williamson, Jabari Parker, Jayson Tatum, and Brandon Ingram. Not only are they very good basketball-wise but academically it’s also a great school.”