Behind the Bucks Pass
Fansided

Milwaukee Bucks: Where does Giannis Antetokounmpo rank among NBA’s best scorers?

By Jordan Treske

MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 03: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks against the Boston Celtics during a game at the Bradley Center on April 3, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 03: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks against the Boston Celtics during a game at the Bradley Center on April 3, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s has elevated his scoring prowess year after year since entering the league more than five years ago, but where does his scoring talent rank among comparable players of his caliber?

All aspects of the evolution of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo have been well-covered and charted over the last couple of seasons.

Regardless of fan affiliation or even being a devoted watcher of the game of basketball itself, there’s something that everyone can identify with in Antetokounmpo’s rags to riches story that keeps on climbing to new heights with his superstar ascendance.

When it comes to the two-time All-Star’s scoring prowess, specifically, Antetokounmpo’s transformation into a premier scoring threat is simply undeniable, despite the very one unavoidable flaw that still stands out in his package of talents.

More from Bucks News

Starting from averaging 6.8 points per game during his rookie campaign in the 2013-14 season to posting 26.9 points per game last season, Antetokounmpo has become an all-out wrecking crew that can purely score at will, thanks to his encompassing athleticism, brutish strength and craftiness/smarts.

Of course, it’s one thing to score at the volume that Antetokounmpo has reached in his development as a player, but for him to do so at incredible efficiency makes it all the more stunning to experience.

Whether by both traditional and advanced measures, Antetokounmpo’s efficiency has increased in each and every one of his five seasons in the league, further cementing his status as one of the leading offensive forces in the league.

As a result of all of that, it’s fair for Bucks fans to wonder where exactly Antetokounmpo ranks among his superstar peers in the scoring department.

For example, Anetokounmpo’s scoring average last year placed him fifth in the league just ahead of Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant and trailing the likes of Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and last year’s scoring leader and Most Valuable Player, James Harden.

That’s not bad company to be among by any means and only reinforces the prevailing thought that Antetokounmpo is among the league’s elite when it comes to filling it up at the basket.

There’s different dimensions to how each and every one of the league’s best scorers goes about executing their scoring prowess compared to Antetokounmpo, the biggest being from behind the three-point line.

What Antetokounmpo lacks in that regard and in his overall jump-shooting abilities (though, incremental improvements and an increased willingness to let it fly have been more apparent), he obviously makes up for in relying on high percentage looks directly at the rim and living at the free throw line.

As it relates to the former, only James ranked ahead of Antetokounmpo in logging more finishing attempts in the restricted area last season, per NBA.com/stats. And the 23-year-old trailed only Harden in tallying more attempts at the charity stripe last season, though his efficiency in that facet can surely improve with that kind of volume.

With all of that considered, the various intricacies and effective means which make up Antetokounmpo’s scoring expertise are precisely what make him an outlier or an anomaly in this discussion.

The ways in which Antetokounmpo can simply eviscerate his opponents by bounding, bullying or slaloming by defenders in the open floor or in the heart of the defense are too much to withstand for those having to deal with the unenviable issue of having to neutralize the Greek phenom to the best of their abilities.

Next. Bucks: One goal for each starter for the upcoming season. dark

It may be easy for some to only highlight what Antetokounmpo doesn’t have in his arsenal, but practically everything else points to him belonging in the same breath as the leading faces around the league when it comes to his scoring mastery.

Home/Bucks News