With Nikola Jokic taking power, it will soon be five years since Giannis Antetokounmpo was no longer MVP. Named best player in the league in 2019 and 2020, he has certainly added a Finals MVP title (2021) to his list of achievements, but no other “Michael Jordan Trophy” despite nearly 30 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 interception and 1 block on average over the last four seasons.
We could say that at 30 years old (he celebrates today), the “Greek Freak” no longer needs this kind of reward to prove his talent, except that the person concerned does indeed have a third statuette in the viewfinder…
“ It might even bring tears to my eyes » revealed the player of Bucks. “ I want to be part of the conversation, because it shows that I was able to help my team, to support it, and to strengthen us collectively. I'm not going to lie, it really means something to me. »
Succeeding Steve Nash among the thirty-somethings
Still, winning an MVP trophy at the age of 30 is not given to everyone, since the last player to have done so is called… Steve Nash in 2006. Before that, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan and Karl Malone had done the same.
“ I discussed it with my brother and told him it was crazy because I realized I might not win another MVP » adds the one who was rewarded at 24 and 25 years old. “ I'm having better seasons than when I won mine, but the league is improving and the other players are playing well, really well in fact.…”
In the event of a title, Giannis Antetokounmpo would join the club of triple winners, made up of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Bill Russell and Michael Jordan (5), Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James (4), as well as Moses Malone, Magic Johnson and Nikola Jokic (3).
Personal records galore
Always placed but never crowned since the 2020/21 season, the strong winger of Milwaukee in any case does what is necessary to be a credible candidate next spring: 32.6 points (record), 11.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists (record) and 1.3 blocks at 62% shooting (record). In a slightly different register at a new stage of his career…
“ From a basketball point of view, I read the game better now » he explains in detail. “ I know my preferred positions better, I don't rush as much, I'm calmer… But I don't know if I'm playing better, we'll see at the end of the season. […] I'm changing my game, something I've wanted to do for a long time. »
Potential Hall of Famer, Giannis Antetokounmpo is obviously not already thinking about his retirement, still having well-defined goals and a voracious appetite.
“ There are two things [que je souhaite] : the first is to play in the playoffs because I was deprived of this feeling last season, and the second is to have a chance to win a new MVP title which would certainly make me shed a few tears, and I'm not saying that to get attention. »
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2013-14 | MIL | 77 | 25 | 41.4 | 34.7 | 68.3 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 6.8 |
| 2014-15 | MIL | 81 | 31 | 49.1 | 15.9 | 74.1 | 1.2 | 5.5 | 6.7 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 12.7 |
| 2015-16 | MIL | 80 | 35 | 50.6 | 25.7 | 72.4 | 1.4 | 6.2 | 7.7 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 16.9 |
| 2016-17 | MIL | 80 | 36 | 52.1 | 27.2 | 77.0 | 1.8 | 7.0 | 8.8 | 5.4 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 22.9 |
| 2017-18 | MIL | 75 | 37 | 52.9 | 30.7 | 76.0 | 2.1 | 8.0 | 10.0 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 26.9 |
| 2018-19 ★ | MIL | 72 | 33 | 57.8 | 25.6 | 72.9 | 2.2 | 10.3 | 12.5 | 5.9 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 27.7 |
| 2019-20 ★ | MIL | 63 | 30 | 55.3 | 30.4 | 63.3 | 2.2 | 11.4 | 13.6 | 5.6 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 29.5 |
| 2020-21 | MIL | 61 | 33 | 56.9 | 30.3 | 68.5 | 1.6 | 9.4 | 11.0 | 5.9 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 28.1 |
| 2021-22 | MIL | 67 | 33 | 55.3 | 29.3 | 72.2 | 2.0 | 9.6 | 11.6 | 5.8 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 29.9 |
| 2022-23 | MIL | 63 | 32 | 55.3 | 27.5 | 64.5 | 2.2 | 9.6 | 11.8 | 5.7 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 0.8 | 31.1 |
| 2023-24 | MIL | 73 | 35 | 61.1 | 27.4 | 65.7 | 2.7 | 8.8 | 11.5 | 6.5 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 30.4 |
| 2024-25 | MIL | 19 | 35 | 61.6 | 21.4 | 61.1 | 2.2 | 9.5 | 11.6 | 6.6 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 32.6 |
| Total | 811 | 33 | 54.7 | 28.6 | 69.9 | 1.8 | 8.0 | 9.8 | 4.9 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 23.6 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
