Five reasons why Giannis Antetokounmpo should be an MVP candidate
By Connor Learn
Five reasons why Giannis Antetokounmpo is a legit MVP candidate as the Milwaukee Bucks do-it-all-player is having a career year.
Giannis Antetokounmpo entered the NBA as a raw six-foot-nine; 18-year-old from Greece after the Milwaukee Bucks selected him 15th in the 2013 NBA Draft. He gathered the attention of NBA fans during his rookie year by flashing what he could do with his length and athleticism immediately.
Antetokounmpo, “the Greek Freak”, has gotten better each year he has been in the NBA. He earned playing time as a rookie, become a starter during his sophomore campaign, and became the Bucks best player during his third season and one of the NBA’s best players in his fourth year.
He is breaking out in a big way, averaging 22.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals a night. The Greek Freak is a real star in the NBA and shouldn’t fail to receive recognition just because he plays in Milwaukee or because his name is hard to pronounce.
Antetokounmpo should be an MVP candidate this season, and here are five reasons why:
5. Point Giannis
Antetokounmpo took over as the Bucks lead ball handler last spring during a late season experiment. Coach Jason Kidd turned to the Greek Freak to play point guard after Michael Carter-Williams went down and it had a surprising amount of success.
According to NBA.com, the Bucks were nearly six points per 100 possessions better with Antetokounmpo playing point guard last season than they were with Antetokounmpo on the floor with a more traditional point guard. The Bucks parted ways with Michael Carter-Williams and Kidd committed to him as his primary point guard.
Though Antetokounmpo’s stats increased and the Bucks played better last year, the experiment happened during late-season basketball. The first full season was met with skeptics but thus far, this arrangement has met or exceeded expectations. Having the ball in his hands has alleviated his shooting weakness and allowed him to flourish.
Letting him be the lead ball handler gives him more opportunities to break down defenses where he has been unstoppable at getting to the rim; he leads the league in points in the paint. His ability to break down defenses has helped the Bucks increase their team three-point shooting percentage by nearly 10 percent this season as well. This is an experiment that should be here to stay.