mobile app bar

“Oh hell no, I’ve already done it, Who’s in the MVP race?”: Giannis Antetokounmpo is not chasing individual accolades anymore but is on the quest to repeat as champion

Arjun Julka
Published

"Oh hell no, I've already done it, Who's in the MVP race?": Giannis Antetokounmpo is not chasing individual accolades anymore but is on the quest to repeat as champion

NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo reveals he is not chasing the MVP award this season, aiming for the bigger picture.

One of Greece’s best exports to the United States of America, Giannis Antetokounmpo fulfills all the tick marks of the term American Dream. A generational athlete, Giannis has brought the era of the big men back in the otherwise guard-dominated league.

The reigning Finals MVP’s ability to dominate the paint is something we haven’t seen since Shaquille O’Neal’s time. Standing at 6″11′ Giannis is nothing but muscle and brute strength. The twenty-seven-year-old has won almost every individual accolade in the NBA book.

With much of his prime left, Giannis is in no mood to settle for less and aims to have a legacy placing him in the all-time greats. In only his first Finals appearance, the Greek Freak joined the ranks of Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal.

Also read: “Kevin Love is my brother, I hate that it had to be him”: LeBron James on putting his former Cavs teammate on a poster

With less than a month for the playoffs to begin, Giannis is on the quest for a repeat. The former DPOY does not have the regular-season MVP as the top priority on his mind.

Giannis Antetokounmpo aims to cement his legacy with multiple championships.

In an age of super teams, Giannis decided to go the old school way, bringing the city of Milwaukee an NBA championship in over 5-decades. In what many believe, the Bucks MVP did it the right way, not leaving a small market like Milwaukee to join forces with a LeBron James or a Stephen Curry in California.

In the modern era of 3-point shooting, Giannis brought back the bully ball. The Bucks superstar is making 81.4% of his shots within 3-feet of the basket this season, which is his second-highest. Giannis is scoring 52.3% of his shots in the paint.

Giannis’ hustle mentality is something not very prevalent in the league today. The prime example of this is his improved free-throw shooting and jump shots, even beyond the arc. The six-time All-Star is currently shooting 72.1% from the foul line.

The Bucks forward is in the top 3 when it comes to leading the league in scoring this year, averaging above 30 PPG. When asked if he’s focused on winning the MVP, Giannis replied the following.

“Oh hell no, I’ve already done it. Who’s in the race?”

The 3rd seed in the east, the Bucks are one of the favorites to win the chip. Despite the Heat and the Sixers having a better record, Giannis and co have the confidence winning last year’s Finals after being down  0-2.

Also read: “Mr. Military was going to make me a good little boy, a good soldier”: Dennis Rodman exposes Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich’s authoritative nature

If Giannis and the Bucks succeed to repeat as champions, the NBA might have a new face.

About the author

Arjun Julka

Arjun Julka

x-iconlinkedin-icon

Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Basketball isn’t just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. When it comes to the GOAT debate, the TSR author feels LeBron James is yet to receive a lot of his due but cannot deny marveling at Michael Jordan’s resume.

Read more from Arjun Julka

Share this article