Giannis Antetokounmpo, beginning his fourth season with the Milwaukee Bucks, was named the NBA’s top international player in the annual preseason survey of league general managers.
Antetokounmpo beat out some big names in the survey, getting 27.6 percent of the votes to 24.1 percent for Memphis big man Marc Gasol. Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki had 24.1 percent of the votes, while New York power forward Kristaps Porzingis got 12.1 percent and San Antonio’s Pau Gasol was at 6.9 percent.
The 21-year-old Antetokounmpo signed a four-year, $100 million contract extension last month, the richest contract in Bucks franchise history.
He was given primary playmaking duties by coach Jason Kidd late last season and responded with five triple-doubles.
When Antetokounmpo was informed Tuesday about the general managers voting, he broke into a quick dance move — the Whip and Nae Nae — and showed a huge smile.
“Oh, my God,” Antetokounmpo said. “Do I get a trophy or something?”
Antetokounmpo said he would take it as a great compliment.
“But I feel like I’ve got to work more,” he said. “Being above Dirk and Marc Gasol and Pau Gasol, they’re really good players. So I’ve got to show on the court — the GMs that voted me — that I deserve it. I’m really happy.”
Kidd said he wasn’t stunned to see the Greek Freak top the voting.
“That’s a great honor because the names just mentioned are all very talented and all could be that player,” Kidd said. “That’s a great compliment to him and what he’s done, working on his game and getting better.
“Now it’s not just to stop there as the best international player, but hopefully one day to be one of the best players in the world. Nothing surprises me in this league. It just shows how hard he’s working and the way he’s perceived in this league, how GMs think about him.”
Hawks coach injured
Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer was escorted to the locker room late in the first half of Tuesday night’s game against New Orleans after being bowled over by Pelicans guard Langston Galloway.
The Hawks said Budenholzer was “OK” but would not return to the game.
It was a bad night for coaches. New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry was sick and unable to join his team on the bench.
Budenholzer already had his right hand in a brace and his arm in a sling after suffering a broken finger that required surgery on Monday. Following the second-quarter collision as Galloway was chasing a loose ball, Budenholzer was helped to his feet. He sat on the bench for a few minutes, grimacing in obvious pain, before being escorted to the locker room. It was not immediately known if Budenholzer aggravated his hand injury in the collision.
New Orleans assistant coach Darren Erman filled in for Gentry, who had “stomach discomfort,” according to the team.
Knicks re-sign forward
The New York Knicks have re-signed forward Cleanthony Early.
The team announced the move Tuesday and didn’t disclose terms of the deal.
The 6-foot-8 Early averaged 1.8 points in 17 games for New York during his second NBA season in 2015-16, a season shortened after he was shot in the right knee and robbed in December 2015.
He was assigned to the NBA D-League’s Westchester Knicks on four occasions, averaging 15.6 points and 7.3 rebounds in seven appearances.
The Bronx native was drafted out of Wichita State by New York in the second round (34th overall) of the 2014 NBA draft.