Bucks Zone

Giannis Antetokounmpo raves about Danilo Gallinari's fit with the Bucks: "He knows how to play the game"

Despite being just a newcomer, Gallo is already drawing nods and praise from Giannis.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee Bucks

After playing for two rebuilding teams this season, Danilo Gallinari delivered a bold move as he committed himself as a free agent to the title-competing Milwaukee Bucks for the remainder of the season. This also allowed him to reunite with head coach Doc Rivers as they shared a partnership from 2017 to 2019 in the L.A. Clippers.

While he has only played sparingly for the Bucks thus far since signing with them on Feb. 18, Gallo's adaptability has already been glowing around the team. As such, Giannis Antetokounmpo proudly testified to the wonders the veteran already provides to their ongoing rally.

A solid contributor and teammate

A 14-year NBA veteran, Gallo has brought his experience and well-rounded offensive capabilities to a Milwaukee team that is gunning for the championship.

From Giannis's perspective, he couldn't ask for the best traits he could witness and expect from his Italian teammate, as Danilo perfectly fits like a glove into their system.

"It is easy to play with Gallo. He is so smart," Antetokounmpo stated. "He has been around a long time. He knows how to play the game."

"Sometimes, we are going to ask him to score. Sometimes, we are going to ask him to facilitate. But we know he can do both. We know that he is capable of doing a lot of things for us offensively. Defensively, such a big body helps his defense with his length."

Despite limited exposure, Gallo stands as an integral piece in the Bucks' season

Gallinari might have only seized such limited on-court time since joining the Bucks, averaging just 2.0 points in 9.4 minutes of play. But his work towards building momentum and familiarity with the team's identity can only get better. His deep offensive tools and ability to play all frontcourt positions also provide the team with plenty of key options to consider.

As the season gets deeper and their title hunt continues to seize significant progress, the Bucks are leaning towards Gallo's voice presence both on and off the court.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.