Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Malcolm Brogdon listed as awards finalists

As the finalists for the 2017 NBA awards were announced live on TNT, Milwaukee Bucks duo Giannis Antetokounmpo and Malcolm Brogdon were both shortlisted.

Although the NBA’s award winners won’t be officially announced until late June, the NBA announced the finalists for their marquee awards prior to Friday night’s Eastern Conference Finals Game 2 between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Milwaukee Bucks have yet to have a winner of the NBA’s Most Improved Player award since its inception in 1985-86, although past winners of the award such as Alvin Robertson, Dale Ellis and Monta Ellis played for the Bucks at latter stages of their careers having won the award.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has long been pegged as one of the frontrunners for the league’s Most Improved Player award, and as such, he was unsurprisingly announced as one of the three finalists for that award.

The Greek Freak is pitted against centers Nikola Jokic and Rudy Gobert in the final battle for the award.

Jokic became the focal piece of the Nuggets’ future this year as he emerged as an offensive force, and a center who can lay a valid claim to being one of the very best passers in the NBA.

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Gobert was the focal point of a stellar Utah Jazz defense, as they put together a 51-win season and made their return to the playoffs. On top of his well documented defensive qualities, Gobert also improved his offensive touch this season.

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Although Bucks fans need no reminder, Giannis made the jump from rising star to dominant superstar over the course of the season. The young Greek took on a bigger role for his team than ever before and still managed to be even better in virtually every element of his game.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have only had one player in franchise history crowned as the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, and that was the legendary Lew Alcindor back in 1969-70.

On this occasion, Malcolm Brogdon will have the chance to follow in his footsteps. The former Virginia Cavalier was named as a finalist for this year’s award alongside Philadephia 76ers duo Joel Embiid and Dario Saric.

Embiid certainly shone the brightest in spells of his rookie season, but injury meant that his impact was reduced to a relatively short burst as he played just 31 games. His impact when he did play was undeniable, but should he really be deemed worthy of a season-long award having played less than half of the games?

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Embiid’s teammate Dario Saric took his time in coming over to the NBA, but settled in well as his rookie season went on. Particularly in Embiid’s absence, Saric stepped up and demonstrated his well rounded skill-set as a key player for the Sixers.

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Last but certainly not least is Milwaukee’s Brogdon. Not only did the guard manage to work his way into his team’s rotation, and eventually the starting lineup, over the course of the year, but he also became an integral ingredient as the Bucks found ways to win games. If not for Brogdon’s efficient and intelligent play, the Bucks may not even have made the playoffs, and with some signature performances to push his team over the edge there can be little doubting his influence.

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If Brogdon was to win the award, he would be only the second second round pick in history to win, and the first since Woody Sauldsberry had that honor in 1957-58.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo named to All-NBA Second Team

The award winners will be officially announced at the NBA’s inaugural awards show, which takes place at 8pm CT on June 26 and will be televised live on TNT.