Giannis Antetokounmpo: The NBA’s next big thing
Hidden behind the veil of a 24-34 record and a destined NBA lottery appearance is a bright future for the Milwaukee Bucks. Led by a 6-foot-11 forward known as “The Greek Freak” that has emerged as one of the most intriguing players in basketball, high times are on the horizon.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a 21-year-old native of Athens, Greece, made an early name for himself as a dynamic player with a penchant for highlight-reel dunks and soul-crushing blocks, spurred on by athleticism that is second-to-none. In year three he has made strides to secure a spot among the brightest young stars in the league. His statement game on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers further proved that there is something special brewing in Milwaukee.
On a night when a sellout crowd flocked to the BMO Harris Bradley Center to watch future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant’s last game in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo stole the show.
In one of the most well-rounded performances of any player in the NBA this season, he posted his first career triple-double, recording game-highs with 27 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and four blocks.
Before the Bucks’ 108-101 victory, Bryant and Antetokounmpo shared a special moment. The Lakers legend imparted invaluable wisdom on the versatile forward, acknowledging an undeniable potential for greatness.
“Does he want to be a great player or not? I said listen man, that’s a choice that you are going to have to make,” Bryant said after the game. “If you want to be that great player, then you have to make certain sacrifices and you have to go after it. He has the potential to do it. He has the physical tools, the intelligence. Now it’s just a matter of believing in himself and going after it. But he has the talent to be a great player.”
Several plays during the game evidenced Antetokounmpo’s ascent toward greatness. There was a sequence of rejections near the basket in the fourth quarter, during which he blocked both Ryan Kelly and Tarik Black within a span of two seconds to help stave off a Lakers comeback attempt. There was also the alley-oop off a well-placed off-the-backboard assist from teammate Khris Middleton that nearly brought down the rim and the house.
But these highlights, as entertaining as they may be, are nothing new to Antetokounmpo. What will cement his spot as a transcendental talent is his newly-acquired playmaking role. More importantly, his ability to thrive in that role.
Since the All-Star break, Bucks head coach Jason Kidd has tasked Antetokounmpo with the responsibility of running the offense. This decision has paid immediate dividends for Milwaukee — who has won four of its past six games.
“Giannis is playing at a very high level right now,” Kidd said. “After the break, we’ve made some changes. We’ve kind of given him the ball as the point guard. We haven’t announced that he’s the point guard, but we’re letting him start the offense. On misses, we’re trying to get the ball to him as quick as possible and have everybody else run. He’s made some incredible passes.”
That’s right. A 6-foot-11 forward with freakish athleticism, a 12’2″ max vertical reach and the handles of a guard, is running the Bucks’ offense. In doing so, he appears to have found a perfect fit for himself, and a scary proposition for the rest of the NBA.
This new role has left Antetokounmpo in an unfamiliar place, but the change has only improved his production. He has recorded 19.5 points, 10.75 rebounds and 6.25 assists per game since the break, all well above his season averages. Most importantly, his team has played some of its best basketball since last season’s surprising playoff run.
Antetokounmpo is aware of the pressure that comes with this new territory, but he is embracing it knowing that he has the trust of a 10-time All-Star point guard in Kidd.
“It feels good in one way, but now I’ve got more pressure,” Antetokounmpo said. “Now I’ve got to put my team in the right spots. I’m not a point guard. Some guys would say I’m not even a guard. I don’t know what I am. But it feels great that coach trusts me to run the offense, and I think we’ve had good results.”
But while Antetokoumpo has found success since undertaking the command of the offense, there is no denying that improvements need to be made in order for Milwaukee’s 2013 first-round pick to take the next step in his development. Primarily, behind the three-point arc.
Antetokounmpo has steadily increased his scoring output since entering the league, going from 6.8 points per game as a rookie, to 12.7 the following season and 16.2 during his current campaign. He has also seen his three-point shooting percentage fall off dramatically.
After shooting 34.7 percent from long-range as a rookie, Antekounmpo’s numbers dropped all the way to a dismal 15.9 percent from behind the arc last year. Although his three-point shooting has climbed to 22.9 percent this season, it is still a blatant weakness of his game that opponents can easily exploit.
“I told him if you want to get to that level, this is what you have to do. You have to work on your jumpshot.” Bryant said. “The first time I played him, I backed off of him. Today I backed off of him again and I didn’t seen any improvement. I like testing young guys to see that. Summertime is when you have to make that leap.”
Antetokounmpo appears to have taken Bryant’s words to heart, vowing to make improving his shot an integral part of his offseason workout regimen.
“He said he used to shoot 1,000 shots a day, so I’ll try to shoot 1,500 this summer.”
Improving his shaky jump shot was not the only advice that the 19-year veteran had for Antetokounmpo. Bryant left the budding star with one more tip on paving the road to greatness, something indicative of the no-nonsense approach that has allowed him to dominate opponents for two decades.
“Don’t mess around and be serious until the last day you play,” Antetokounmpo relayed as a short but vital message from the legendary shooting guard.
This last comment from Bryant is undoubtedly the most crucial to Antetokounmpo’s development. At 6-foot-11 and possessing the athleticism and talent to outmatch opponents both in the paint and on the perimeter, his star potential is astonishing.
As arguably the greatest player of his generation noted, it all comes down to putting in the work for Antetokounmpo. If he does, the rest of the NBA could be in serious trouble.