“That year one kid was fearless” 2×MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo reveals to be ‘more SCARED now’ than his rookie year
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Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2022 and in 2013
The Milwaukee Bucks‘ Giannis Antetokounmpo has made a name for himself as one of the NBA’s best players as well as an international symbol for the league. His tale is one of the greatest NBA success stories, who rose from humble beginnings in Greece to emerge as the league’s most dominant player.
Given his combination of length, power, and quickness, Giannis’ domination on the court cannot be understated. But before that, it’s critical to understand the precise lessons that can be drawn from Antetokounmpo’s motivational path which took him from statelessness to popularity on a global scale. Despite only being 27 years old, Antetokounmpo described in an interview how different he is now from how he was when he first arrived in the NBA.
During his postgame interview after his game versus the Detroit Pistons, Antetokounmpo thought back on the past ten years of success he has had in the NBA when comparing himself to the 18-year-old playing at the MSG. He stated: “First of all, year one, whoo boy, that boy was a bad boy. I saw this clip of me checking into a game in New York. In my eyes, you could see like a hunger. It’s crazy to me, I was 18.” Giannis then added: “You know, I’ve never been over here and that was my first NBA game in Madison Square Garden and I’m like ‘damn, this kid was not scared.'”
The greatness of Giannis Antetokounmpo throughout the years
Giannis Antetokounmpo went from being the 15th pick on draft day to one of the best NBA players of all time in a remarkably short amount of time. He has garnered numerous accolades since entering the NBA in 2013 including Most Improved Player, Kia MVP twice, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP. Additionally, in 2021, he helped Milwaukee clinch its first title since 1971. His first All-Star game start, NBA Most Improved Player title, and selection to his first All-NBA and All-Defensive teams all transpired in 2017.
Antetokounmpo’s game improved in several more areas recently. He continued to physically advance as he managed to challenge every opponent due to his combination of height, agility and speed. When he won the title with the Bucks in 2021, he joined Michael Jordan as the only NBA players to have won multiple MVPs, the Finals MVP and the DPOY award during their careers. Giannis is projected to be elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in the coming years and also was inducted into the NBA’s 75th-anniversary team in 2022.
What’s next for the Greek Freak?
In the post-game presser, Giannis Antetokounmpo also mentioned that he wasn’t afraid on one of the biggest basketball stages in the world during his debut but that in his tenth season he might be. He stated: “I came from a neighborhood called Sepolia and you just put me into Madison Square Garden. I was like ‘yeah, I don’t care, I’m just going to try and hoop’. Now that I’ve been around for 10 years, I’ll probably be more scared now. One year that kid was fearless.”
With a victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Milwaukee Bucks extended their perfect record to 8-0 for the first time in the history of the organization. With 32.6 points and 12.9 rebounds per game for the unbeaten Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo is dominating and has a good chance of winning his third MVP award this season. Assuming that these patterns can continue for the remaining 74 games and playoffs, they are the top favorites to contend for the championship.
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Irvin Philip
(701 Articles Published)