Giannis Antetokounmpo is a great player no doubt – but calling him a better version of LeBron James is atrocious.
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Giannis is looking more and more like the superstar capable of being the face of the league. Yes, LeBron James and Kevin Durant still play, but they’re no spring chickens. They’re coming to the fag end of their career, and someone has to take over. Many pipped Luka Doncic or Ja Morant to do it, but the Greek Freak has them beat.
But becoming the face of the league does not mean one becomes the better version of Bron. Giannis is great, but he’s not hitting those fadeaway turnaround jump shots, passing like a sniper, or making long-range shots look like a paper toss. He may be good, but there are levels to this game.
Even Giannis would probably accept that there is some distance between the two. Saying Giannis is the best closer because he can score from anywhere is the highest level of recency bias. One series against the Celtics, and everyone forgot the narratives they had for Kevin Durant winning the MVP.
The NBA belongs to Giannis. @ColinCowherd explains:
“We are looking at a longer, taller version of LeBron in his prime.” pic.twitter.com/xP1fKXnlMm
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 2, 2022
Giannis Antetokounmpo is closer to being a better Shaquille O’Neal – not a LeBron James
The run and dunk man no longer is just a one-trick pony – he is deceptively clever. The first game against the Celtics showed his facilitator side, something he had to do because his shooting was not up to the mark. This ability to switch up styles of play on the fly is something that makes him great in today’s version of the game.
But that does not make him a better version of the man from Akron. It makes him similar to a 4-time champion, but his name is Shaquille O’Neal. Big Shaq always dominated the same way Giannis does on most nights. If Shaq could shoot free throws, and stay fit, he would be Giannis. Even Colin Cowherd thought the same a couple of years ago, guess he just forgot.
😒🤨um excuse me??? https://t.co/1N3dbQWuAB
— Josh Black (@JoshABlack84) May 2, 2022
Shaq said it himself, that one player that resembles his playstyle most is the Milwaukee talisman. What he does with his career, every fan is waiting to see. He already has one championship in the bag, could he get more?