Should the Utah Jazz consider Kostas Antetokounmpo with the No. 52 pick?

When the Utah Jazz select at No. 52 in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft, they may have the opportunity to select Kostas Antetokounmpo, the younger brother of Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Considering the incredible depth of this year’s NBA Draft, a lot has been made of the multiple options that the Utah Jazz could consider with their first-round pick at No. 21 overall. While the late first round can sometimes be a bit of a crap-shoot, it truly appears this year that the Jazz may very well end up with an impact player with that selection.

Unfortunately, the same likely won’t be able to be said about their second-round pick, which doesn’t take place until No. 52 overall. While there certainly are on occasion diamonds in the rough that can be scooped up in the second round, it’s a rarity for true difference makers to fall that low in the draft.

As such, the Jazz will be fortunate if they can find any sort of impact player in the second round. But at the same time, it also means that they could potentially use that pick to take a bit of a risk on someone who’s far from a sure thing. One particular player that the Jazz could keep their eye on with that second-round pick is Kostas Antetokounmpo, the younger brother of NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Some mock drafts don’t have Kostas being selected at all in this year’s draft. Others have him late in the second round, very much within Utah’s reach. Obviously there are concerns about his game, otherwise he wouldn’t be predicted to fall that low or out of the draft entirely, but could he potentially be a secret steal? Is he someone the Jazz should give serious consideration to with their second-round pick?

Well, according to a recent tweet from NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Givony (shown below), perhaps they should. Kostas reportedly had a good showing at his Pro Day in Los Angeles, where he displayed that he very well may have more to offer than originally presumed and could be able to step out of his older brother’s shadow and make a name for himself.

Antetokounmpo’s numbers from his freshman season at Dayton aren’t jumping off the page at anyone. He averaged just 5.2 points per game on a meager average of 15.1 minutes. He shot a solid 57.4 percent from the field, but was an atrocious 13.3 percent from deep, taking just 15 shots from the perimeter and converting on only two of them.

He’s also quite thin, weighing in at 197 pounds despite his six-foot-ten frame and impressive seven-foot-two wingspan. In order to be formidable in the NBA, focusing on his body and physical condition would need to become a significant priority.

The good news is, according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, Kostas is well aware of his deficiencies, but also has confidence that his upside will allow him to overcome them. Per Reynolds, Kostas stated the following–

"“I know that I’ve got to let my body get stronger. I’ve got to get my weight up. I’ve got to work on the way I read the game, and my moves.”“I feel like I can be an NBA player. I think a lot of teams see me and they see a kid that works hard, a kid that can become a NBA player. First round, second round, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m going to do what I can do and try to get better.”"

Sometimes the first step to getting better and proving one’s worth is admitting there are weaknesses in the first place. Antetokounmpo has certainly shown that recognition, which is a good starting point.

Not only is that reassuring along with what he was able to show in his recent Pro Day experience, but there are several other things to like about Kostas. First of all, his size and length certainly give him the appearance of a formidable NBA prospect, with exception to his weight which is something he’ll need to improve.

Furthermore, he undoubtedly still has significant upside and a willingness to be molded. If he can combine that coachability with some of his already existing traits such as an ability to run the floor well and defend the rim, he could very well blossom into a promising player if he sticks to a solid work ethic and maintains a high confidence in his abilities.

The Utah Jazz are known for having one of the league’s most highly reputable development staffs and, as such, perhaps they’ll see value in acquiring a project such as Antetokounmpo. He definitely and admittedly needs a lot of work, but he’s shown some promise with a lot of his raw skills and if he shares even half of the basketball DNA of his older brother Giannis, he could turn into quite the force to be reckoned with.

The Jazz also recently hired Greek coach Fotis Katsikaris, who coached Giannis Antetokounmpo as a member of the Greek national team. Because of the Greek and family connection, perhaps the addition of Katsikaris as an assistant coach could motivate the Jazz to pursue Kostas and unite the two of them. If Katsikaris liked the potential he’s seen in Antetokoumpo, perhaps he could help him reach new heights in a Jazz uniform.

This is merely speculation, but it remains an intriguing thought to consider as Kostas awaits his name being called in Thursday’s draft.

If Kostas Antetokounmpo has proven his worth more fully recently and if his last name helps further elevate his stock due to his relation to an established NBA superstar, he could find himself being taken earlier in the draft than No. 52 when the Jazz select a second time. However, considering that his chances of being drafted at all are far from a guarantee, he may very well be available when the Jazz are on the clock in the second round.

“I feel that a lot of people think that I’m less talented than I am. I feel like I’m more talented. I haven’t really gotten the chance to really show it yet, but I feel like when the chance comes, everybody’s gonna be surprised.” – Kostas Antetokounmpo

He’s certainly a risky prospect with a lot of room to grow, but if the Utah Jazz liked his upside, had faith that he could develop into a serviceable player and perhaps were intrigued by his fit with newly hired Greek coach Fotis Katsikaris, then it’s possible that they could take a chance on him.

After all, late second round picks turning into NBA rotation players is quite the rarity. As such, perhaps taking a risk on Kostas in hopes that he could come anywhere close to reaching his brother’s skill wouldn’t be all that insensible of an option in the end.

Next: Utah Jazz Podcast: Kawhi Leonard saga, Draft preview

We’ll find out for sure on Thursday as the 2018 NBA Draft gets underway at 5:00 PM MT on ESPN.