Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is no stranger to criticism. From James Harden basically saying he has no skill to Kevin Garnett saying he’s not a top three player in the conference, the Greek Freak is often the subject of various narratives from both the fans and the players.
Recently, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps conducted a poll of 18 coaches, scouts and executives from around the NBA asking who they thought was currently the best player in the league. The overwhelming winner was Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic. While that is no surprise, what’s shocking is that Antetokounmpo didn’t receive a single vote.
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Sure, there are a plethora of qualified candidates that didn’t receive a vote, but this is just a small example of the seemingly growing omission of the Greek Freak’s name in those types of discussions.
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A late-season injury stopped Antetokounmpo from playing in the 2024 playoffs, leading to a disappointing end to the season. But during the regular season he made history, becoming the first player to average at least 30 points per game while shooting 60% or higher from the field for an entire season.
His career is already hall of fame worthy. He’s an MVP, NBA champion, finals MVP, defensive player of the year and an eight-time All Star.
While the Greek Freak is accustomed to ignoring the narratives around him, it’s still important to not be blinded by recency bias.
James Parker is an NBA writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
