What Antetokounmpo offers
Coming off an extraordinary season, Antetokounmpo performed at a level that only a rare few in the history of the franchise could ever touch.
So much of what makes Giannis the player that he’s become is the fact that he can do nearly everything that is asked of him. In that vein, the all encompassing nature in which Giannis plays on both ends of the floor makes him an incredibly unique weapon to build around in every way possible.
And to think, the level his play has risen to, at just only 22 years old, leaves a question of whether Antetokounmpo still possesses some untapped potential, which is a scary proposition for teams around the league to think about.
Of course, the one area of Giannis’ game that continues to be a big talking point is his general lack of shooting. Having something that resembles a reliable jump shot would certainly add another dimension to Antetokounmpo’s multi-dimensional game.
With that said, what would be a necessity for a player to continue rising the ranks in most cases would simply be a luxury for a player of Antetokounmpo’s capabilities. You only have to look to last year (and his play after the All-Star break in the 2015-16 season) to see that his performance level doesn’t hinge on his ability to develop a workable jumper.
This was a sentiment the team’s head coach, Jason Kidd, put best during his availability at the team’s Media Day, when asked if the Greek Freak needed to add a jumper:
"“I would say no. He’s already great. For some who say he doesn’t shoot it well, we all think he does shoot it well. Because he does so many other things great, we try to nitpick at what people can’t do, instead of supporting what they can do. And at the end of the day, he’s learning how to win at the highest level, and some of the greatest players who’ve played this game couldn’t do something. There was never a player who could do it all, and so if he’s the first to do it all, I’m happy I’m on his side!”"
Aside from that aspect standing in the way, there’s very little terrain in Giannis’ game that he has yet to conquer. Obviously there’s always the need to keep refining the skills and expertise he possesses, but there isn’t much, if anything at all to be asked of Antetokounmpo at this point in his development.