“Jared Dudley Used to Start Over Giannis Antetokounmpo?!”: Mavericks’ Assistant Coach Shared His Experiences With a Rookie ‘Greek Freak’

Giannis Antetokounmpo is the face of the Milwaukee Bucks – there was a time when Jared Dudley was.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has gone from strength to strength in the league-but he had the guidance of the evergreen meme, Jared Dudley, at the start of his career. In 2014-15, Jared Dudley was a journeyman forward who had gone to Milwaukee to finish his career in anonymity.

Back in the day, moving to Milwaukee meant you were out of sight, out of mind. They had a worse team than the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philly was actively trying to tank. But what they had was a young group of exciting players, akin to the Detroit Pistons of today. And to lead them all to glory was the man who shared his name with the fat cousin of Harry Potter.

And that move turned out to be great because, with his leadership, the Bucks were able to have the 3rd best single-season turnaround for the most number of wins. They rose from a bottom feeder to the 7th seed, almost due to the presence the vet brought to the young locker room.

Brandon Knight, Jabari Parker, and Giannis Antetokounmpo had breakout seasons, and Jared was the mastermind behind all that.

Also Read: “That’s What Giannis Antetokounmpo and I Share!”: Stephen Curry Reveals the Key Commonality Between Him and Bucks superstar

Jared Dudley and his contributions are laughed at – but there is something in him that allowed him to stay in the league for so long

Jared Dudley is a walking meme—but every team in the league wanted him on the bench. He was willing to take the vet minimum because they wanted to fill a roster spot and he was willing to take the vet minimum, but he was ready to give it his all whether he started a game or played the dying seconds of it. The attitude of a 38-year old man who was just as hungry as a rookie made him a champion.

He was legitimately giving Anthony Davis weight loss tips—he was that respected. The recently retired man is now an assistant coach along with Jason Kidd for the Dallas Mavericks. Dudley will be one of the nicest coaches we’ve seen in a while. He may not be a stern coach who keeps people in line with his gaze, but he is a guy who makes players enjoy their basketball.

Also Read: “You’re Not Going to Wear Sweats!”: Giannis Antetokounmpo Reveals How He Was Among the Best Dressed on 2013 Draft Day

Giannis Antetokounmpo showed signs of early superstardom – nobody fathomed him becoming a legitimate face of the Milwaukee Bucks

In Giannis’ early days in the league, he was just a scrawny kid from Greece trying the decadent delicacies the land of the free had to offer. Nobody took him seriously, because he was just a kid. But in his mind, he had grown up to emulate the greats from the east, and the name Antetokounmpo inspires many a kid today.

A fun-loving guy but a dedicated man to his craft. A rare combination among the league’s superstars today. His drive to become the best he can be while challenging the likes of LeBron James and the rest is something that truly makes him a superstar-his accolades are just a recognition of what he is and can be.

Also Read: Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name is actually Giannis Adetokunbo!