Giannis Antetokounmpo has cemented his position and has been in the MVP contention. He has bagged a couple of awards in 2019 and 2020 and his name has consistently lingered among the top three in MVP voting, and this season proves no different.
However, three seasons have passed since the Greek Freak last claimed the feat and it seems that he now presents a formidable case once again. With Joel Embiid sidelined, only Giannis, Nikola Jokić, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remain in the race.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will not ‘crying for trophy’
Speaking with The Athletic, the former NBA champion revealed his firm belief, stating, “I’m never going to make myself look like I’m crying for a trophy.” Instead, Giannis Antetokounmpo revealed a philosophical perspective on his MVP aspirations, drawing inspiration from Hollywood.
“One thing I’m never going to do is fall into the bubble. I believe this is a bubble. This is a matrix,” the Greek Freak expressed.
Even though he plays for the Milwaukee Bucks with Damian Lillard, another potential Hall of Famer, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s play still sticks out. With 1.2 steals, 6.4 assists, 11 rebounds, and a blocked shot each game, the “Greek Freak” is currently averaging an incredible 30.8 points per game. In addition, he has impressive shooting percentages, scoring 29.2% from outside the arc and 61.5% from the field. These are amazing stats, especially in light of the fact that they are higher than the ones he achieved during his MVP-winning seasons.
Next in line behind Giannis with 26 points, 9.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and 12.3 rebounds per game is Nikola Jokić. With a percentage of 34.9%, he is more effective from beyond the arc than Antetounkmpo is, but having a slightly lesser efficiency from the field (58.2%).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has also emerged as a surprise force, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the first seed in the Western Conference. He has an average of 31.1 points, 2.1 steals, 6.4 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game, with shooting percentages of 54% from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc.
