Over the last seven seasons, dating back to the 2013 draft, the knock-on Giannis Antetokounmpo has no outside shot. Last season, Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge explained why they passed on the back-to-back MVP.
“We all liked him,” Ainge said, according to NESN. “All of us had seen him. I think I saw him in maybe January, but by the time that he was drafted that same year, he was, I think, two or three inches taller and maybe 10 or 15 pounds heavier. And he was even bigger the year after Milwaukee drafted him.
But he was just a really skinny kid that had no outside game, and he looked like a kid that just needed a long time to develop.
“I think the amazing thing with him was how quickly he developed, and part of that was his height and strength and how much bigger he got so fast. I think that enabled him to be good right away in the NBA. In his rookie year and his second year, you could see, wow, this kid is going to be really, really good.”
Antetokounmpo has been improving his shooting every year, as he dominated the regular season leading the Bucks to the number 1 seed the last couple of seasons. However, when it comes to the playoffs, he has not been able to get his team over the hump. Most experts have been hounding that he needs to able to shoot jump shots and close out games.
NBA champion Richard Jefferson was in the NBA Watch Party on Clubhouse hosted by Rosalyn Gold-Onwude. Jefferson shared that “Giannis is not an NBA closer.”
“So, it doesn’t matter if you pair him with a monster power forward. It does not matter about the position I think Giannis, to his credit; he’s a point guard, center, and power-forward. He does so many things; the only thing we are critical of is comparing him to other greats,” Jefferson said. “We compare him to Shaquille O’Neal, Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and those in that elite category. Even LeBron James had that when he lost to the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks.”
Jefferson continued.
“James had to change his game. He was dominant and won MVPs, but the areas in his game that were lacking are the areas that cost them championships,” Jefferson said. “The ability to close in the fourth quarter, knocking down jumpers and three-pointers because the Spurs would dear him to shoot threes.
“Now look at him; he is shooting 40 percent trying to shoot from the logo. That means he has been putting in years of work to get to that place. When we are critical of Giannis, he needs someone right there that helps his deficiencies, and they do not currently have that even though they have a good team.”
On Sunday, Antetokounmpo had a major fourth quarter, outscoring the Clippers 17-10. The Bucks went on to win 105-100, and after the game, Antetokounmpo was asked about the matchup of Khris Middleton and himself against Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
“It is pride. It is an ego thing. Personally, I love that going down the stretch, said Antetokounmpo via ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
“I feel like it’s greatness,” Antetokounmpo added. “When you go against the best in the world down the stretch and you are trying to get a stop and they are trying to score on you to win the game, it’s greatness developing at that moment.”
Bucks play again Tuesday at home against the Denver Nuggets.
