Home NBA Georgios Papagiannis – meet the 2016 first round NBA draft pick waived...

Georgios Papagiannis – meet the 2016 first round NBA draft pick waived in one season

Photo: Rocky Widner/Getty Images

In April 2016, Georgios Papagiannis entered the 2016 NBA Draft and was projected as a mid-to-late second round pick, with mild first round interest, mostly from teams searching for international talent. Papagiannis was selected with the 13th overall pick by the Phoenix Suns, becoming the highest drafted Greek player ever – above Giannis, who was picked 15th overall in 2013.

His draft rights were later traded to the Sacramento Kings the night of the draft and Papagiannis consequently joined the Kings for the 2016 NBA Summer League. On November 5, 2016, he made his NBA debut in a 117–91 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, recording two points and one rebound in six minutes off the bench.

Georgios recorded his first career double double the same month, although he was constantly up and down the league on assignment to the Reno Bighorns. On February 8, 2018, Papagiannis was waived by the Sacramento Kings.

Papagiannis is still incredibly young, only 22 years of age and is currently playing professionally in Greece for Panathinaikos – the same club he was with as a teenager while playing in Greece.

Papagiannis 2016-2017 Season Highlights:

Georgios Papagiannis Official 2016-2017 Season Highlights // 5.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.9 APG
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