“Last year he didn’t really get a lot of attention, then this year he’s back in the conversation similar to LeBron” - Richard Jefferson believes Giannis Antetokounmpo could be a Top 15 All-time player
Giannis Antetokounmpo and his greatness was mentioned by Richard Jefferson in Froiday’s episode of “Road Trippin’”. During the conversation, Jefferson mentioned how Giannis could end up being one of the top players in NBA history.
Giannis Antetokounmpo could be Top 15 All-Time player
Richard outlines:
“Last year he didn’t really get a lot of attention, then this year he’s back in the conversation similar to LeBron”
Giannis not getting the attention he deserves after his performances across the entire season is one thing. “The Greek Freak” not getting enough love after he sealed the NBA Finals performance he did, is completely crazy.
Richard elaborates:
"I think before Giannis' career is done, he's going to be at worst , like barring injury, at worst, I think he'll be a Top 15 player ... If he does this another five-six years, which he's very capable of doing for much longer than that, like that due is going to have the potential to be somewhere between 10 and 15 All-Time."
Last year, during the 2020-21 NBA regular season Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 28.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks. These stats helped contribute to the Milwaukee Bucks' playoff run, where they would end victorious in the NBA Finals, claiming the 2021-22 NBA championship. During the six games played in the finals series, Giannis averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo managed back-to-back games (Game 2 and Game 3) with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds. He joined Shaquille O'Neal as the only player to reach those numbers in consecutive Finals games. Giannis also joined Michael Jordan, Shaq and LeBron James as the only players to put up at least 40 points in back-to-back Finals games in the previous 50 years.
In Game 6, Antetokounmpo recorded 50 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks as the Bucks clinched their first championship in 50 years. Antetokounmpo was then subsequently named NBA Finals MVP by a unanimous vote. At 26 years, 226 days old, he is the youngest since Kawhi Leonard in 2014 to be named Finals MVP.
Antetokounmpo also joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to have won the MVP, Finals MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year awards during the span of their careers. Needless to say, Giannis had an incredible season last year.
Only 6 players had 10,000 career points and an MVP award at age 25:
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Bob McAdoo
- Michael Jordan
- LeBron James
- Kevin Durant
- Giannis Antetokounmpo https://t.co/vtqLku9Dkh
Speaking of his relationship with LeBron at the 2021 All-Star Game, he played on the team captained by James. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 35 points on a perfect 16-of-16 shooting from the field to lead the team to a 170–150 win and became the first non-American to win the All-Star MVP.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has continued his dominance this season, showing the entire league that he plans to keep his crown. In a performance just last month on March 31st, 2022, Antetokounmpo scored 44 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and dished out 6 assists in a 120–119 overtime win over the Nets.
He passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the leading career scorer in Bucks franchise history. Antetokounmpo's record-setting 3-pointer forced overtime, and he made two free throws in the final seconds to seal the victory for the Bucks.
GIANNIS BECOMES THE ALL-TIME LEADING SCORER IN BUCKS HISTORY‼️
Passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 👏 https://t.co/Ckmmtm2IUz
Giannis Antetokounmpo finished the 2021-22 regular season with a career-high 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists to become the first player in NBA history to average 25 points or more, 10-plus rebounds and five assists or more in four separate seasons.
Richard Jefferson explains what another championship victory could do for Giannis:
"Let's say he sprinkles in two-three championships, he wins one more MVP, that's three like, you're putting him up there with Larry Bird"
The Milwaukee Bucks finished the regular season in third place with 51 wins to 31 losses. They are set to face the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. Tip off for the game is Sunday night at 6:30 pm EST, where Giannis and company hope to continue their series toward the championship.