Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t break the trust of the Milwaukee fans and gave them the thing that he promised them long ago.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013. Not many knew who he was when the Bucks drafted him. Coming from Greece, he didn’t have the spotlight as other players did during their college days.
As a result, he went under the radar of many teams during the scouting. However, the Bucks struck gold and changed a player who later became arguably the greatest player ever to represent the franchise.
The start of career for Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t easy. It took time for him to adjust to the league, and he didn’t hit the ground running. He showed glimpses of potential, which is why the Bucks never lost faith in him.
Similar to the Bucks, Giannis also never lost his faith in the franchise. Despite having a losing record for multiple seasons at the start of Giannis’ career, the Greek Freak wanted to stay in Milwaukee. Back in 2014, He made a promise to the fans, that he wouldn’t leave the franchise until they are championship contenders.
Fast forward to eight years since then, not only are the Bucks championship contender every season, but they also won a championship in 2021. It was the first championship for the franchise since the days of Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Giannis fulfilled his promise, and he is going to stay here for a long time.
The Milwaukee Bucks winning the championship was on the horizon for multiple years
Prior to winning the championship, the Milwaukee Bucks had been dominating the league for multiple years in the regular season. However, they suffered continuous heartbreaks in the postseason for many years.
Giannis won two consecutive MVP awards in that span, but he wasn’t able to perform at his best during the playoffs. This was due to the teams’ implying the wall against him in the paint, which restricted him from scoring.
Moreover, his teammates also didn’t step up when it mattered, due to which they failed continuously in the playoffs. Nevertheless, it all changed in the 2020/2021 season of the NBA.
The inclusion of Jrue Holiday was significant for the Bucks. He is one of the best defenders in the league, and he contributed massively on the offensive end also when it mattered the most.
As a result, the Bucks were able to complete a great run in the 2020/2021 season of the NBA. They were crowned the NBA champions, and the city of Milwaukee finally got to cherish what they were despised for many years.
Giannis Antetokounmpo won the Finals MVP award despite playing through injury and proved to everyone that he can lead his team in the playoffs as well. Since then, nobody has doubts about Giannis in the postseason.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is on his way to become an all-time great
Not many expected Giannis to achieve what he has done so far in the league. He has won almost every individual accolade and is still relatively young.
He is arguably the best player in the world right now. However, he could have easily won back-to-back championships if Khris Middleton hadn’t gotten hurt in the playoffs.
Every year, his team is among the favorites to win the championship. Giannis himself is an MVP and DPoY candidate every year. Furthermore, he is in the race to win the scoring title every year as well.
Such is his dominance on both ends of the court. He is well on his way to becoming an all-time great player. If he won a few more championships, he might end up as a top-10 player of all time.
It would be a great achievement considering where Giannis Antetokounmpo came from. Many criticized the decision made by the Bucks to draft him, but he prove everyone wrong.
Despite all his accolades, Giannis is always humble. He is a tough fighter on the court, but always has respect for his peers. This is what makes him unique, and helps his case to end up as one of the best to ever do it in the league.
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