According to “Finding Giannis,” a documentary premiering this weekend on TNT, the New York Knicks were the sole NBA team not to bother sending a scout to check out The Greek Freak ahead of the 2013 NBA Draft.
Every team in the NBA went to Greece to scout Giannis…except the New York Knicks
“Finding Giannis” premieres Saturday at 6:30 ET on TNT pic.twitter.com/fOX4II1v4g
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 14, 2019
The Knicks, however, say that’s simply not true.
They counter that several of their scouts evaluated Antetokounmpo in Greece.
The Knicks said that their European scouts, including Kevin Wilson, did scout Giannis multiple times, disputing the claims made in the TNT documentary.
— Chris Iseman (@ChrisIseman) February 14, 2019
Per The NY Daily News:
“Scouts started flying to Greece. Every day,” Panou said on TNT’s documentary, “Finding Giannis,” which is scheduled to air 6:30 p.m. Saturday. “Executives, GMS, assistant coaches – every team came. Twenty-nine teams. Except the Knicks.”
Antentokounmpo was chosen 15th overall by the Bucks and is already a megastar. The Knicks picked Tim Hardaway Jr. nine spots later, so they were in range to make a move if they scouted and liked Antetokounmpo.
The Knicks’ GM at the time was Glen Grunwald, who was fired three months after the draft so that Steve Mills could take over. The Knicks have gone 156-310 since that draft.
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