Growing up in Athens, Giannis Antetokounmpo had the dream to become a basketball player. One of Giannis’s idols, Kevin Durant, became an opponent he conquered on his championship run. During a conversation on Thanalysis, Giannis talked about KD’s word of advice in 2021 that helped him get the NBA title for his team.
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Prior to the 2021 title, the Bucks last won a championship back in 1971. It was clear that the franchise was starving for almost five decades to lift another trophy. However, it was all about to change with Giannis taking the matters in his own hand as he was looking for his first ring. The Bucks beat the Nets in the conference semifinals that year and after game seven, KD told Giannis “Go get you one.”
The two-time MVP recalled these words coming from his childhood hero after he tried to save his team with a 48-9-6 in game seven.
Giannis said that he wanted to let Durant know the impact he has had on his life. He said,
“I went to him, and I talked to him. I said, hey man, I’m not here without you…You inspired me. You impacted my life, I wanted to be like you.”
The 29-year-old said that he felt it was important to let him know that he made Giannis into the player that he is known as today. With the blessing of his hero and the incredible run that he was on at the time with the Bucks, Giannis led his team to their second-ever title.
While Giannis’ admiration for KD is a sweet sight to behold, the 35-year-old is aware of the influence he has had on him, and he often speaks very highly of his opponent.
Kevin Durant predicted Giannis Antetokounmpo could become the best player ever
The best player tag gets thrown around a lot in this league, but rarely do we see someone as deserving as Giannis get that shoutout. In 2017, KD heaped praise on the Bucks star and said that the way he is playing, he could end up becoming the best player in the league. He said, “The Greek Freak I think is a force, and I’ve never seen anything like him. And his ceiling is probably—he could end up being the best player to ever play if he really wanted to.”
A few years later when Giannis won an NBA title, two MVP titles and made several All-Star appearances, KD reiterated his stance on the Bucks star. In 2022 when he was asked about his plans to restrict the Bucks and Giannis, he said, “His points are almost an absolute, like, guarantee.” KD acknowledged that Giannis has become such a dominant scorer in this game that it is almost impossible to stop him, and all his team can do is try to make the process harder for him.
