LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The Los Angeles Lakers confirmed Monday they have gained the rights to Kostas Antetokounmpo, younger brother of Milwaukee’s NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis.
Kostas Antetokounmpo, 21, was signed to a two-way contract by the Lakers. He appeared in two games for the Dallas Mavericks last season and played 40 games for the Texas Legends in the NBA’s developmental G League.
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 60th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Antetokounmpo was acquired by the Mavericks in a draft-night trade.
Kostas is one of three Antetokounmpo brothers to play in the NBA. The eldest, 27-year-old Thanasis, has played in Greece, the G League and signed with the Bucks this off season.
That puts him on the team where Giannis has emerged as a superstar, leading Milwaukee to the best record in the NBA last season.
The Bucks fell to the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference finals.
When Giannis collected his MVP award, he thanked his brothers and his parents — Nigerian immigrants to Greece — in his speech.
Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas have all been named in Greece’s squad for the basketball World Cup that tips off in China on August 31.
There’s one more Antetokounmpo brother in the NBA pipeline, with teenager Alex hoping to make it there one day.
© Agence France-Presse
