Bronny James’s selection by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft has reignited the nepotism conversation in the NBA.
Not that it had ever gone away, but it’s definitely notable that Thanasis Antetokounmpo hasn’t been a central focus in conversations as it relates to LeBron James’ son. That’s not to say that the two situations are directly comparable. Still, many analysts and commentators around the league have often hinted at Thanasis’s presence on an NBA roster (alongside his brother on the Milwaukee Bucks) due to his last name and who his brother is.
Rich Paul insisted that Bronny would’ve been drafted if his name was “John Smith.” Can the same be said for Giannis’ older brother? Charles Barkley doesn’t seem to think so.
Barkley is the latest among many analysts who think Thanasis has a roster spot merely because of his last name. There’s been a lot of liberty taken, as far as jokes are concerned, in that direction, and while it comes with the territory, Thanasis doesn’t seem to think any of what’s being said is based on reality.
“You see people say some stuff online, I’m like, ‘Guys, if you really, really knew, you’d be like, what?’ So, Giannis gets drafted, and in the same draft that Giannis gets drafted, I have an agent at the time – that’s still my agent; I was the best man at his wedding,” explained Thanasis on the Bootleg Kev podcast. “They call him and go, ‘Hey, Thanasis is in this draft?’ This is like two days before. And he goes, ‘No, he’s not in the draft.'”
Thanasis’ path to the NBA was unexpected. Brooklyn apparently considered him with the 52nd pick, but he hadn’t declared for the draft and lacked the necessary paperwork. After returning home to focus on his professional career elsewhere, his agent convinced him to enter the D-League draft. This decision proved pivotal, as the Delaware 87ers selected him with the ninth overall pick in 2013.
Despite carving his own niche in the NBA, Thanasis isn’t bothered by all the chatter. Surprisingly, he even finds some of the criticism to be a backhanded compliment.
“That’s a compliment because that means I’m a good person,” Thanasis said regarding Barkley’s comments that he only has a job because of his brother. “Nobody gives you nothing if they don’t like you, first of all. You got to bring something to the table. I actually like Charles Barkley, and I actually like Shaq…
“The thing is, what happens is, some kids believe that.”
Thanasis recounted a story from a pre-covid camp in Greece. He overheard kids underestimating him based on whispers about him only being in the league because of his last name. After dominating in a two-on-two game, Thanasis wanted the takeaway for these campers to be that the NBA demands hard work, not just a famous brother like Giannis.
Despite enjoying watching them on TNT, Thanasis disagrees with Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal’s commentary about himself. While he recognizes their role as analysts as a means of stirring the pot and generating discussion, his larger concern is the narrative it creates for young NBA fans. He worries some kids might take these jokes literally, believing his NBA job is solely due to his brother’s success, not his years of dedication.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.