In 2013, the Boston Celtics had the 13th pick in the NBA draft, selecting Kelly Olynyk. Two selections later, the Milwaukee Bucks made one of the best decisions in their franchise’s history, selecting Giannis Antetokounmpo with the 16th overall pick. As we know, that pick changed Milwaukee’s trajectory and earned them an NBA championship.
During a 2018 interview with Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald, Danny Ainge revealed that he had previously met with Giannis. However, the Celtics legend never envisioned him becoming an MVP-level talent. Instead, Ainge viewed Giannis as a solid prospect due to his size and length.
“He was really young,” Ainge said. “He played on a pro-B team in Greece, and I saw him practice. I met him. He was very skinny. I thought he was absolutely a worthwhile project. But never in a million years did I see him becoming a potential best-player-in-the-league type of player. And I saw his potential as a good player because he could handle the ball and he was long. But he was really, really skinny, and I think he was about two or three inches shorter than he is now. But what an amazing player.”
Of course, Giannis did develop into a superstar talent and is now one of the biggest threats to the Celtics’ chances of lifting their 18th championship banner at the end of the current season.
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The NBA draft isn’t an exact science, though. It’s virtually impossible to judge how talent will develop once they enter the league, especially an unheard-of player from the lower leagues of Europe.
Nevertheless, Ainge would likely want a mulligan on the 2013 draft if given the opportunity.
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