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MILWAUKEE -- Whats cooler than being cool? Andre 3000 bellowed as he glided around the stage at Staples Center wearing sunglasses, a candy-striper outfit and a paper wedge hat.Ice cold! the backup singers answered as they gyrated behind him as OutKast performed Hey Ya, one of the hottest songs of the moment.It was the opening sequence of the 2004 All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Within moments, the singer asked the crowd if it was ready to meet the players and he stepped aside so Michael Redd, dressed in a baggy purple-and-black Milwaukee Bucks warmup, could be announced for his first All-Star appearance.Redd played 15 minutes and scored 13 points. A Buck hasnt been seen in an All-Star Game since, the longest drought of star power in the league.In 2004, Giannis Antetokounmpo was just 9 years old and had no interest in basketball. Living in the Sepolia section of Athens, Greece, he played soccer like his father and oldest brother, who were stars in Nigeria. He didnt even start playing basketball until three years later, when he was 12.The Antetokounmpo story is as outlandish as the Bucks search for him. The Bucks have been in need of a franchise player since Ray Allen was sent to Seattle in 2003 in one of the more ill-advised moves in recent NBA history. Redds shot at it was cut short because of debilitating injuries that forced early retirement.They have him now. One of the biggest talking points among league executives and scouts this season is the explosive growth of Antetokounmpo this season. Since Bucks coach Jason Kidd made the intriguing decision to install the Greek Freak as a part-time point guard near the end of last season, his playmaking has wowed opponents and teammates.Last week he had a 34-point game against the Cavs. Saturday he had 10 rebounds, six assists, five blocks and two steals in a win over the Nets. Monday he won his second Player of the Week Award (and lost a home nail-biter to the Spurs despite his 22 points and 11 rebounds, snapping a four-game win streak).Tuesday he turns 22 years old, younger than NBA rookies like Buddy Hield and teammate Malcolm Brogdon.Kidd has had to knock Antetokounmpo in line at times over the past few seasons and hes been cautious to always point out how much his young star still has to learn. On Monday, for example, he was isolated in a vital late possession against the outsized Manu Ginobili and wasnt able to get it done, in part because he still doesnt have confidence in his jumper.Still night after night, Antetokounmpo makes breathtaking plays with this athleticism, size and burgeoning skill. Hes averaging 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists plus two steals and two blocks per game. Hes also shooting 52 percent. Hes doing it while playing a mix of point guard, both forward spots and even some center on defense in various lineups.Seeing the potential spill forth, Kidd cant help himself. He knows he shouldnt say out loud what he and his coaches have been talking about amongst themselves, but this last week has loosened his lips.Having being around some of the best in the world in LeBron (James) and Dirk (Nowitzki), Kidd said referencing former Team USA and Dallas Mavericks teammates, wouldnt it be cool to have those two combined as one player? Maybe that could happen.Of all the things Kidd has seen from Antetokounmpo, he finds himself marveling at the passing the most. Recently he found center John Henson with a perfect bounce pass through traffic that led to an easy hoop. Seeing a 7-footer find another 7-footer on the move under pressure by bouncing it off the court left Kidd, one of the best passers of all time, rubbing his eyes.To be honest, I dont always think about it, its just instinct, Antetokounmpo said. Guys are like, howd you do that? and I say, Im not thinking about it. I see what the right pass is and I throw the pass. Thats the way its all been.Putting it like that makes it seem like its all natural talent. Hes got plenty of it -- if he didnt, the Bucks wouldnt have gambled on him with the 15th pick in the 2013 draft in a move that now looks genius. They extended it by locking him up to a four-year, $100 million extension before the season that now looks like a bargain because it was for a handful of million less than the max salary. If there was ever a player who looked like a max at age 22, its this athlete.Just pointing to the pure talent sells him short. Teammates report that Antetokounmpo is diligent about watching film and studying the game. Hes only been playing it half his life, which puts him behind most of his peers.When he started to get interested in the game as a teenager after his older brother, Knicks prospect Thanasis, started playing, Antetokounmpo found himself drawn to YouTube highlights of Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen and Allen Iverson. The way he passes, defends and plays with passion, you can see bits of all of them.I want to make great plays. It can be blocking a shot, it can be passing to an open teammate or dunking. Just great plays, he said. Thats what makes me excited.In the preseasons annual general managers survey, seven players received votes in the best player to start a franchise category, a favorite area of debate every year. Karl-Anthony Towns got the most votes, a reasonable choice. Antetokounmpo got zero. Usually the second guessing on that survey comes 12 months later. If the vote was taken again today, Antetokounmpo would show up.His first six weeks have been that impressive. As they consider the possibility of breaking their All-Star drought, the Bucks cant wait to see where the near future takes them.Were in the early stages of seeing where he can take us, Kidd said. What hes done is show that he can handle a lot right now. Theres going to be a time where were going to raise the bar again and see how he does. Shoes Online UK Review . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Wholesale Shoes UK Free Shipping . Tracey comes to the Blue Bombers after spending over a decade with Queens University. Most recently he was the schools assistant football coach. https://www.shoesukonline.com/ . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Cheap Shoes UK 2020 . -- Whether Jeremy Hill deserves a prominent role in LSUs offence this early in the season is a matter for debate. Shoes UK Online Store . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Angels meet on Tuesday for the first time since the first week of the season.Their respective fortunes since then couldnt be more contrasting.Chicago (69-41) is on a post-All-Star Game roll with baseballs best record, a seven-game winning streak, victories in 10 of its last 11 contests and a double-digit game lead in the National League Central.(Were) firing on all cylinders right now, right-hander Jake Arrieta (13-5, 2.59 ERA) told reporters over the weekend after working eight strong innings in a 4-0 win over the Oakland Athletics. Were playing good baseball, theres always things to improve on (but) theres things to be happy about.The teams open a two-game series kicking off a 10-game homestand for the Cubs.Chicago sends right-hander John Lackey (8-7, 3.70 ERA) against righty Jered Weaver (8-8, 5.11 ERA) in the series opener. Jason Hammel (11-5, 3.07 ERA) is scheduled for Wednesdays start against Los Angeles right-hander Ricky Nolasco (4-8, 5.23 ERA).The Angels (49-62) have limped through late July and early August with 10 losses in their last 16 contests, including a current four-game losing streak.Los Angeles came out of the All-Star break with six straight victories and sparked slim hopes at a run for a wild-card spot. But the subsequent slump left the Angels hovering near the AL West cellar and the need to leapfrog six teams to secure one of two wild card berths.Manager Mike Scioscia insisted his team hadnt given up even after a pair of trades involving a starter and reliever.Theres absolutely no white flag being run up, he told reporters last week.The Angels sent their top starter -- left-hander Hector Santiago (10-4) -- to Minnesota for Nolasco and a prospect. Los Angeles separately traded sidearm reliever Joe Smith (1-4, 3.82 ERA, six saves) to the Cubs for a miinor league pitcher.ddddddddddddThe Angels also pulled the plug last week on an experiment with two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. He was designated for assignment last Saturday after posting 2-6 record, 9.16 ERA and 2.37 WHIP in nine appearances.Lincecum, who had surgery last year to repair a torn labrum in his hip, signed a one-year deal with the Angels in May.The departures of Santiago, Lincecum plus others currently on disabled list with a variety of ailments, leaves Weaver, Matt Shoemaker (6-12, 4.07 ERA) and Nolasco as staff aces.Not all is bleak. Outfielder Mike Trout, who turned 25 on Sunday, remains a highlight for the Angels. He has a big league-best .427 on-base percentage, is tied for second in runs scored (88) and owns a .316 batting average.Albert Pujols, meanwhile, needs two home runs to reach 583 for his career and a 10th place all-time tie with Mark McGwire.The Cubs enter the series 11-4 in interleague play this season, are a season-high 28 games over .500 and with two-thirds of the season in the books are on track for 101 wins.They finally got Jorge Soler back from the disabled list (hamstring). Soler went 2-for-4 on Sunday against the As and has five RBI since coming off the disabled list on Saturday.Chicago increasingly looks likely for a second straight postseason berth. Even when the Cubs were struggling, manager Joe Madden insisted theyd be all right and were capable of a strong run similar to how they started the season (25-6).The Cubs lost 15 of 20 prior to the All-Star break. They beat the Pirates 6-5 last month to close the first half and then picked up after the break with 17 wins in their next 23 games.Its just trending in the right direction, Maddon said. ' ' '