“The key for me and my success would be my will to work hard every day”: When Giannis Antetokounmpo revealed his plan to succeed in the NBA as a rookie

Giannis Antetokounmpo as we all know him today is the most dominant force in the NBA but did you watch him in his rookie season?

He didn’t have an instant impact since debuting in 2013 for the Milwaukee Bucks, but the Greek Freak took the basketball world by storm by his 4th season.

All of what Antetokounmpo does on the court is because of his pure and persistent work ethic. He started his first 3 seasons barely averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds. That was the future 2-time MVP’s average for 3 full seasons, starting almost all of the matches.

Although Giannis wasn’t the “Greek Freak” straight since his debut season, he was sure of his success because of his sheer will to improve.

Also read: “You know the Freak… He can be a Freak on the court and on the sheets as well”: When Giannis Antetokounmpo revealed the NSFW gift his girlfriend got him for Valentine’s Day

Giannis Antetokounmpo took time to develop into this phenom but he had a vision of it all in his rookie season

Giannis got the NBA most improved player award in 2017 averaging more than double of his first 2 seasons, all across the board. Not just the game, one could clearly see his physical transformation since coming into the league which has helped him immensely to dominate every team in the NBA.

Listen to a young Giannis Antetokounmpo in his rookie season,

He said “The key for me and my success would be my will to work hard every day because, in basketball, you have the court, you have the ball, and all the staff that you need to play basketball. But the key is to work hard, to go to the court everyday. ‘What did I learn today?’ when I get out. That is the key.”

That is an MVP talk. Being a kid from a European country and coming into a league that had just 4 foreign MVPs, Giannis wasn’t looking to win individual honors and still won many.

He just wanted to be the best in the league and compete for Championships every year. In the process he earned 5 All-Star appearance, 4 NBA All-Defensive, a Defensive player of the year, 2 MVPs, and led the Bucks to championship this past season, getting the Finals MVP.

Also read: “It’s hard to knock out Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee, but the Bulls look pretty damn good as well!”: NBA GOAT Michael Jordan gets candid about his former team’s chances in the Eastern Conference

That’s more than what LeBron James and Michael Jordan achieved when they were 26. What’s the roof for the Greek freak then? We have to wait and enjoy it when it happens.

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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