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Giannis Antetokounmpo: Top 5 Plays of the 2015-16 Season

By Tim Wray

Apr 8, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /
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With his freakish combination of length, mobility and a point guard skill set, Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most unique players in the NBA and he’s never too far away from a highlight reel.

Apr 8, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots the ball against the Boston Celtics during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /

Expectations were high heading into the 2015-16 season, and why not? The Bucks had been to the playoffs as a sixth seed (tied highest finish since the 2000-01 season) and were coming off their first .500 or better record since the ‘Fear the Deer’ season of 2009-10.

Even more impressive was that it took the team just 53 games to double their win total from the previous season, albeit if it was only 15 wins. Add Greg Monroe (arguably the biggest free agent signing in franchise history), Jabari Parker‘s return from a torn ACL and another season of development and experience for one of the youngest teams in the league. The Bucks were primed to contend with the best teams in the East.

Fast forward 82 games and the Bucks are back in the lottery. At face value, the 33-49 record is a polar opposite of league-wide expectations, but don’t confuse this disappointment with a lost season. Despite the struggle to win games, the Bucks now have answers to many of the questions that hung over the team’s future. Several of those answers start with Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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In fact, the Bucks have probably learned more from this losing season than they did by getting to the 2014-15 playoffs. Khris Middleton established himself as the team’s most consistent contributor, Jabari Parker silenced critics by emerging as an explosive offensive threat and Giannis Antetokounmpo began to unleash some of his unearthly potential as a pseudo point guard.

Of course, this development means very little if the team cannot translate it into future wins, so the true value of this season remains to be seen, but better days are ahead for the Bucks and no player’s future is brighter than Giannis.

Described as a “basketball miracle”, the “human triple-double” and a “walking mismatch”, Giannis’ performance after the All-Star break was nothing short of extraordinary. During the final 28 games of the regular season, Giannis transformed his box score and improved significantly in almost every statistical category, posting: 18.8 points (+2.9), 8.6 rebounds (+1.5), 7.2 assists (+5.6), 1.9 blocks (+0.7) and 1.4 steals (+0.4) on 50.9% from the field (+0.4 on +2.2 FGA) in 36.5 minutes per game (+1.9).

Yet, what’s particularly impressive about Giannis’ mid-season statistical leap was his assist/turnover efficiency. Remarkably, Giannis increased his assist totals by 5.6 per game, whilst averaging just 0.3 more turnovers a night. Not only was Giannis playing better, the Bucks were too.

Jason Kidd had given ‘Point Giannis’ the keys to the Bucks offense and he was thriving with the ball in his hands. Just 10 games after notching his first career triple-double against the Lakers on Feb. 22, Giannis had already broken the Bucks franchise record for most triple-doubles in a season (four). With his fifth triple-double against the Magic on April 1, Giannis had single-handedly posted more triple-doubles in a season than any Bucks team since Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar combined for five in 1973-74.

Hence, it’s almost without question that Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the Bucks most valuable player this season and should finish as one of the top three to five contenders for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. ‘The Greek Freak’ has taken his game to another level in 2015-16 and given us just a small glimpse of the superstar-level player he could eventually become.

Everything else aside, Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing the game in a way that nobody else has before. The best thing is that it’s just so enjoyable to watch and these top five plays of the season will show you exactly why he’s one of the NBA’s most ‘Vine-able’ players.

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