“He’s not as sexy as a Joel Embiid, or he’s not doing the way Kevin Durant has done it” - Jay Williams questions why Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks don’t get the respect they deserve
The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks and their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo continue to fly under the radar with their incredible performances. The conversations this season always seem to center around the Brooklyn Nets or the Philadelphia 76ers as far as Eastern Conference teams are concerned.
On ESPN's "Keyshawn, JWill & Max," former NBA player Jay Williams said he is tired of the disrespect the Bucks seem to be getting. Williams said:
"I think it starts to become a little bit ridiculous that people love to discredit what Milwaukee did last year. It seems like there are a lot of excuses around it. I'm getting to this point now where I'm looking at Giannis and I'm saying, 'Are you the most disrespected superstar of this generation?'
"He’s not as sexy as a Joel Embiid, or he’s not doing the way Kevin Durant has done it."
The reigning NBA champions are seemingly rarely in the conversation when it comes to who can win the Eastern Conference. The Bucks (45-27) trail the Miami Heat (47-25) by two games in the East. The 76ers (44-27) are third, while the Nets (38-34) are eighth.
Is Giannis Antetokounmpo underappreciated?
Arguably the best player in the world right now, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a man on a mission the last couple of years. He won the coveted MVP award twice and the Defensive Player of the Year award. He's the only player not named Michael Jordan or Hakeem Olajuwon to win the MVP and DPOY in the same season.
The efficient MVP.
25 PTS | 17 REB | 5 AST | 3 BLK | 9-12 FGM in 30 minutes https://t.co/TnS0EAZGti
The Greek Freak capped it off with an incredible postseason last year. He led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first championship since the days of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and won the Finals MVP as well. Yet, he continues to be underappreciated just because his jumpshot isn't as efficient as other superstars.
There is this narrative that the Bucks would not have advanced past the second round last season had Kevin Durant worn a smaller shoe. But what also needs to be pointed is that Antetokounmpo averaged nearly 32 points along with 12.9 rebounds in that series. He did that while shooting better than 57%. He dropped 40 points in Game 7 of the series against the Brooklyn Nets.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had his 3rd career 50-point game in the regular season, the 2nd-most in Bucks history, trailing only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10). https://t.co/w8SW2M0kLi
The Milwaukee Bucks and the Greek Freak have had continuity since last year. This is their trump card. When looking at the uncertainties among the East's contenders, seeing the Bucks in the NBA Finals once again would not be surprising at all.
Antetokounmpo isn't flashy in the way he plays. He is a dominant force who will bully opponents in the paint and is also one of the league's best defensive players, if not the best. All these reasons make him underappreciated.