After winning the NBA Most Improved Player in 2017, Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t looked back. The Greek Freak has added several achievements to his resume since then, including an NBA Championship and multiple MVPs. However, Giannis has been criticized over the last few years for not evolving his game with time.
Advertisement
The conversation was brought back recently by Lou Williams on Run It Back. Williams stated that players like Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have added elements to their game in recent years. This helps them stay ahead of the competition as their game doesn’t become predictable for the opposition.
In the case of Giannis, Williams believes that there hasn’t been any significant addition. He acknowledged that Giannis’ mid-range was a hot topic of discussion early in the season, but he has now lost it. Williams’ assessment of the Bucks superstar didn’t sit well with the fans. One fan posted a compilation clip of Giannis’ mid-range shots, stating “You don’t know ball [Lou Williams].”
The former NBA star noticed the clapback from the fan. Ignoring the clip he was provided, he went on to defend himself. Williams wrote, “That’s hilarious,” with two laughing emojis, seemingly mocking the fan for considering that an evolved game. Just because Williams doesn’t want to acknowledge it, doesn’t mean Giannis hasn’t put the work in.
That’s hilarious 😂😂
— Lou Williams (@TeamLou23) March 13, 2025
The 30-year-old has been in the gym and has worked on his mid-range game to quite the extent. The effect of it is visible in his output on the floor. In the 2023-24 season, Giannis’ percentage of points from the mid-range was at 5.5%. This year, he has brought it up to 13.1%. Giannis has made 106 mid-range shots from 227 attempts. That’s a 46.7% accuracy. The numbers don’t lie.
What’s even more impressive is how consistent Giannis has been from within the restricted area all while improving on his middys. He’s shooting a league-leading 73.7% from the field in that region on a whopping 12 attempts a game. To have this level of consistency and efficiency all while having a mid-range game is otherworldly levels of production.
The Bucks superstar is proud of the work he has put in during the preparation of this season. He recently told ESPN, “I’ve worked on [mindrangers]. Guys are giving it to me. I got to shoot it because it’s less toll on my body. I got to shoot it, man… It’s part of my game; I’ve worked on it all summer long. They are playoff shots in my opinion. And it is a shot that I believe I can make.”
Now in his 30s, Giannis wants to be smarter with his game. He doesn’t want to put his body through a lot and adding mid-range to his arsenal is helping him score without tussling with defenders under the bucket.
