Giannis continues to rack up personal honor

Rebecca Locke
Giannis Antetokunampo of the Milwaukee Box # 34 runs Jelen Brown # 7 of the Boston Celtics in the third quarter of Game Seven of the 2022 NBA Playoff Eastern Conference semifinals at the TD Garden in Boston, Mass. On May 15, 2022. Note to the user: The user expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and / or using this photograph, the user agrees to the terms of the Getty Images License Agreement.
(Photo by Adam Glanzmann / Getty Images)

Three seasons ago, Giannis Antetokunampo of the Milwaukee Box emerged as a complete superstar when he won his first regular-season MVP award.

A year later, he won another MVP, as well as the Defensive Player of the Year award, placing him in some very well-chosen company.

Last summer, Antetokounmpo won its first NBA Championship while taking the NBA Finals MVP award, ending the championship series in Game 6 with a 50-point, 14-rebound, five-block explosion.

Now, the Greek freak is about to add to his collection of personal honors.

Just a few days ago, he was named to the all-defensive first team for the fourth year in a row.

Antitoconumpo may have lost MVP victories in the last two years, as voters went twice with Denola Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, but he continues to prove that he is still the best basketball player.

Antetokounmpo completes this on both ends of the floor

In the NBA, the minimum definition of a superstar, if there is consensus, is a person who can build a championship team as the main person and take on the responsibility of competing aggressively.

It helps if that player is very good at one or two other aspects of the game such as passing or rebounding.

Antetokounmpo certainly fits that definition, as he averages 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists this season.

Watching him play, it’s easy to forget that he’s 6-foot-11, because he plays like a guard with his full-game, ball-handling skills and ability to open and hit open guys.

He is a one-man quick break, and his long arm and stride allow him to attack the rim for a dive from a few feet away.

But Antetokunumpo’s defense sets him apart from almost every other superstar.

He’s a real game-changer on that side of the floor, with the ability to defend the rim and hold his man one by one.

Witness his clutch block in last year’s NBA Finals at Phoenix Suns ’Dandre Aiton.

Then towards the end of the regular season he had his game-winning block against another MVP candidate, Joel MBD.

Antetokounmpo has twice led the NBA in defensive box plus / minus and once in defensive win share.

He is the rare superstar who influences the game at a high level on both ends of the floor.

How much more hardware can Antetokunmpo add in the coming years?

Greek Freak is just 27, an age where most superstars have just entered their prime and are starting to figure out how to be the best they can be.

But he already has a resume that stacks up very well with any 27-year-old in NBA history.

His boxes are set up pretty well for the foreseeable future with their second-best player Khris Middleton at 30 and Jrue Holiday at 31.

They could very well win another world title next season, and Antetokounmpo could win another MVP or two in the next two seasons, depending on how their team performs in the regular season.

Within two or three years, when Holiday’s contract expires, if Box is able to work again and add a young two-way point guard, they can set themselves up for a few more years of championship competition.

With his substantial help continuing over the next several years, Antitoconumpo could finish very well with at least three championships, which would put him in some of the most selected companies in NBA history.

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