Tracking Giannis Antetokounmpo's weight journey as he transformed from a skinny kid to a dominant NBA player
Giannis Antetokounmpo entered the NBA as a raw project filled with potential. The Milwaukee Bucks made Antetokounmpo the fifteenth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, well aware that he would likely need time to develop.
Despite not even being a lottery pick, many questioned whether the Bucks had reached, largely due to Giannis' small frame. While he stood at 6'9, he weighed just 190 pounds. This led scouts to question whether Antetokounmpo would need to remain in Europe for a few years to develop his game.
Instead, however, Giannis opted to join Milwaukee, which has paid off tremendously. With access to some of the best workout facilities and nutritionists in the world, Antetokounmpo has added over 50 pounds of muscle. The once slender kid is now arguably the strongest player in the league. Giannis is currently 6'11 and 242 pounds.
Antetokounmpo's decision to join the Bucks turned out to be the right move, as his playing time and numbers steadily increased until his fourth season when he broke out. The 28-year-old Greek-Nigerian was named to his first All-Star Team, All-NBA Team, and All-Defensive Team while also winning the Most Improved Player of the Year award.
Thus far, Giannis Antetokounmpo has made six All-Star Teams, six All-NBA Teams, and six All-Defensive Teams. Furthermore, the Milwaukee Bucks star has won two MVPs, one Defensive Player of the Year, and one NBA Finals MVP after leading the franchise to the 2020-2021 NBA title. His accomplishments earned him a spot on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team as the youngest player on the roster.
Now in his tenth season, Giannis is averaging 32.1 points per game, 11.0 rebounds per game, 5.6 assists per game, 0.9 steals per game, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 54.8% from the field.
Watch Giannis Antetokounmpo's highlights below:
Giannis Antetokounmpo's weight compared to current power forwards
While Giannis Antetokounmpo is once again an MVP candidate, he is not the only power forward in the race for the award. Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, and Jayson Tatum have also dominated this season while spending most of their time in the power forward position.
Despite both players looking more slender than Antetokounmpo, Davis is 6'10 and 253 pounds, while Durant is 6'10 and 240 pounds. Tatum, on the other hand, is 6'8 and 210 pounds, much smaller than his three counterparts.
While he is not in the MVP race, Zion Williamson has established himself as a star and one of the most popular players in the league. While he is just 6'6, he weighs 284 pounds.
Watch more of Giannis Antetokounmpo's highlights below: