Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo confesses his desire to posses multiple NBA legends’ abilities.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the goofiest superstars in the league. He is humorous, he is funny, and he is highly entertaining.
So, usually, when asked a question, the Greek Freak is always equipped with a cheeky answer. Recently, reporters asked Giannis about the skills of league legends he’d like to possess.
Antetokounmpo then shared his list with the enthusiasm of a kid eating ice-cream.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo lists Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s skills
There are certain skills in NBA history that stand at the top. These moves were immortalized by legends who dominated the league.
Giannis’ list of skills was a reflection of this. He mentioned Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, and Reggie Miller.
Giannis: “Let me take from MJ his mid-range. Let me take from Kobe his footwork in the post. Let me take from Reggie Miller’s shooting from three and take from Shaq his dominance.” He continued: “Let me take from magic his ‘hee-hee.'”
What would Giannis Antetokounmpo become if he had these abilities?
Giannis is already a monster. He is one of the most authoritative players in the league. The two-time MVP is equipped with freak athleticism.
His humongous strides coupled with size make space creation look easy. He is dominant on the post and is a phenomenal defender.
But as an offensive player, if Giannis had MJ’s mid-range, Kobe’s footwork, and Reggie’s three-point shooting, there would be no stopping him.
Take Jordan’s mid-range for example. His ability to drive, pause, and then launch into a jumper was too much for defenders.
The reason is simple. Imagine you are defending a player who can rush the pain with ease.
Once that same player starts his drive, the defender has no choice but to follow through. While moving fast towards the rim, Michael would stop in the mid-range and immediately launch into a jumper.
There was no lag in between his run and launch. Imagine if Giannis had that in his arsenal. Or take Kobe’s footwork into consideration.
Bryant was the master of shake and bake. His shoulder shrugs, subtle feints, and spins were extraordinary. They were at the same level, if not better, as Hakeem Olajuwon’s.
While Giannis Antetokounmpo’s primary move in paint is his spin. With Kobe footwork, he could move anywhere. Kobe’s pivot was immune to traps. And Antetokounmpo, like his battle with Miami in 2021 playoffs, proved he is prone to traps.
Combine that with Reggie’s step back three and Shaq’s dominance, Giannis would frankly become the greatest to ever play. And frankly, Magic Johnson’s passing is just an overkill and Giannis knows it.
