Giannis Antetokounmpo Reveals The One School That Offered Him A College Scholarship

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Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the world’s best basketball players.

The 28-year-old is a two-time NBA MVP, seven-time NBA All-Star and led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA Championship.

But that wasn’t always the case. There was a time where Antetokounmpo was a lanky, 6-foot-9, 195 pound prospect that the Bucks took a chance on with the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Says He Had Just One College Scholarship Offer

Had the Bucks not drafted Antetokounmpo, he was still likely to go in the first round in the NBA Draft. Which is a good thing, because according to Antetokounmpo he had only one NCAA Division I scholarship offer.

“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 I was 15, I was “highly recruited” by Old Dominion. That was my only offer.” – via USA Today

It seems crazy that no other school was willing to take a shot on the player who may now be the NBA’s best player. But if he had his choice, Antetokounmpo says he would’ve ended up with one of the nation’s premier college basketball programs.

“Definitely Duke. 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 and get in the paint. You see players 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.”

Had he gone to Duke, Antetokounmpo would’ve ended up playing alongside future Bucks teammate Jabari Parker. Milwaukee selected Parker with the second overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Sadly, his career has since gone in the opposite direction as that of Antetokounmpo. The 27-year-old is currently out of the NBA entirely.