Giannis Antetokounmpo has an unreal resume for a guy in his 20s, the man is not only the youngest in NBA’s most prestigious list but also is one of only two European players.
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Antetokounmpo‘s achievements for his age are just insane. A lean giant from Greece was the 13th pick in the 2013 Draft. Not many expected much from the 18-year-old who soon became the “Greek Freak”.
Since his debut, the 27-year-old has already won every award in the NBA an individual hopes for. First, he won the Rookie of the Year award, then the Most Improved Player to follow up, regular-season MVP twice, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and then the Finals MVP most recently to cap it all off.
Ending the Bucks’ 50-year title drought, leading them to the 2021 championship, might be his biggest achievement if you ask the most humble and fun “freak” in the world.
But being named in the NBA’s top-75 players of all time is also an honor too big for a player who probably has competed in the league for a lesser time than the time he still has left in front of him. And the man certainly knows the weight of what he has achieved early in his career.
2x League MVP
6x All-Star
NBA Champ
Giannis Antetokounmpo @Giannis_An34 x #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/6IZq26fWYF— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 21, 2022
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the youngest in NBA’s top-75 and also one of Europe’s only two
Being the youngest player on the NBA’s most prestigious list is not the only tremendous achievement of the Bucks forward, he is also one of only two Europeans on that list, the other being Mavericks legend, Dirk Nowitzki.
Giannis found himself struggling for words to describe his happiness just to be on the list. The 6x All-Star said this in the post-game presser after the All-Star game in which he helped team LeBron win the game with 30 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.
Giannis got emotional being on stage during the #NBA75 Anniversary Team ceremony. pic.twitter.com/ywM7Xvpkg0
— NBA (@NBA) February 21, 2022
He then went on to describe his feeling to sit alongside the likes of Michael Jordan and LeBron James but above all, Dirk Nowitzki, who paved the way for all European players, according to Giannis.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: “There were only two Europeans on this (75th) team right? That’s insane. Sitting next to Michael Jordan.. that’s great. Lebron James.. but having the opportunity next to Dirk who opened the path for us. That’s even more of an incredible feeling for me.” pic.twitter.com/plLE2ySsy0
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) February 21, 2022
There is much on the way for the Greek international to go down as the best ever, but it is insane to think if he decided to retire at the age of 26, he would still have gone down as a Hall of Famer.
That is why he is one of the most deserved players to be on that list and is just humble enough to be surprised by it.