Giannis Antetokounmpo generally seems like he may dunk from the foul line.
Different occasions, the Milwaukee Bucks ahead struggles simply to succeed in the rim with a shot from it.
Even with holes to fill in his recreation, Antetokounmpo is already among the many finest gamers within the NBA. He's a two-time MVP who may in all probability begin drafting his Corridor of Fame speech with out ever including to what he does now.
Take heed to the him for only a few minutes and it’s clear that’s not his plan.
“I want to keep getting better,” Antetokounmpo states matter-of-factly.
That's coming from a participant who had one of many best NBA Finals ever, the unanimous MVP after averaging 35.2 factors, 13.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists whereas taking pictures 61.8%. No participant had ever reached these numbers.
Perhaps as a result of it’s simply attainable there has by no means been a participant like him.
Antetokounmpo completed off Phoenix with 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots in Game 6, going 17 for 19 from the road. Few gamers have ever displayed such a mastery of their craft in seemingly each side of the sport.
But, Antetokounmpo is identical participant who was mocked on social media in the course of the postseason for shooting airballs on free throws, who had followers on the highway counting to 10 or past to indicate that generally he wouldn’t even try the shot inside the allowed time.
It was such a evident weak point that it reignited criticism that he's an elite athlete who isn’t all that expert at basketball.
He’s not as unhealthy as he seemed then.
He’s additionally nearly as good as he might be.
“We continue to say we feel like Giannis has got a lot of room for improvement, which is a lot of respect for how much he already does and how great a player and how impactful he is to winning,” stated Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer.
However the coach believes there are “some significant jumps that he can take.”
If there was ever a time to ease up, it could appear Antetokounmpo simply earned it after carrying Milwaukee to its first title in 50 years. However Richard Jefferson, who received a title with LeBron James in Cleveland, stated that’s precisely when the good gamers take it up one other notch as a result of they don’t wish to accept one.
“So, I think for guys like Giannis, he’s the same way“ and wants more, said Jefferson, now an analyst for ESPN and YES Network.
“He knows that people still say that Kevin Durant’s the best player, or LeBron James is the best player in the world. And he’s won two MVPs, a finals MVP, an All-Star MVP, and no one is saying he’s the best player in the world ... That should make any great player want to wake up and continue pushing.”
Antetokounmpo did relaxation a hyperextended left knee that pressured him to overlook two video games within the Japanese Convention finals and took a visit again to his house in Greece together with his championship {hardware}. He loved the additional time together with his followers and his household, having turn out to be a father for the second time.
“But you’ve got to be able to do it for yourself, figure out what you want. And right now, what I want is to get better,” Antetokounmpo stated. “I don’t care about trophies.
“I don’t care about MVPs. I don’t care about defensive player of the year. I don’t care about all those things. I care about getting better, because I know if I do that, there’s more things coming with that and that’s what I’ve done my whole career and that’s why I’m in this position.”
Not like an Anthony Davis or Zion Williamson, who arrived within the NBA as No. 1 picks with can’t-miss expectations after a 12 months at a university basketball powerhouse, Antetokounmpo was no positive factor. He was solely the No. 15 decide of the 2013 draft, averaging simply 6.8 factors as a rookie on a workforce that went 15-67. Neither he nor the Bucks had been going anyplace with out loads of work.
That comes simply for Antetokounmpo. It’s a trait he realized from his dad and mom, who moved from Nigeria to Greece and he stated labored nonstop whereas elevating he and his brothers with little cash.
“No matter how they felt — happy, sad, tired — they didn’t stop,” Antetokounmpo stated. “That’s kind of the mindset I have and that I’m going to keep having.”
It’s one which’s helped him climb from his shaky NBA begin to three straight seasons averaging higher than 25 factors, 10 rebounds and 5.0 assists. He’s nonetheless under a 30% 3-point shooter for his profession however seemed faster and more assured on his release in the preseason.
A dependable outdoors shot would make the 6-foot-11, 250-pound Antetokounmpo near unguardable, given his distinctive mixture of pace and energy that makes him too massive for many forwards and too agile to be guarded by facilities.
Many groups attempt to cease him by packing a wall of defenders in his path to the rim, however Antetokounmpo may foil that technique by merely taking pictures earlier than he received to it.
Then, no wall can be in his means.
“I’m ready for any obstacles,” Antetokounmpo stated.
___
More AP NBA: https://sociallytrend.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Conversations are opinions of our readers and are topic to the Code of Conduct. The Star doesn't endorse these opinions.
