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Giannis Antetokounmpo: 3 areas he can still improve in

By Jordan Treske

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 02: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena on March 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 02: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena on March 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – OCTOBER 26: (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – OCTOBER 26: (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Limiting offensive fouls and turnovers

The one thing Antetokounmpo can’t control through practice and repetitions is how opposing teams load up and try to use the brute force and ferocity that he plays with every night against him.

As of the season being suspended, Antetokounmpo has recorded 55 offensive fouls, which was on pace to break the 68 offensive fouls mark he co-led the league with during his MVP-winning season the previous year, tied with Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

Antetokounmpo and Bucks fans have been pretty frustrated with how the seven-year forward has been officiated, given the risk of injury that can come along with players trying to position themselves in front of an oncoming Antetokounmpo. He has learned to live with it obviously, but vented the frustrations of picking up a potential injury as a result of committing a charge as he told Eric Nehm of The Athletic following a win over the Boston Celtics in January.

"“I cannot be thinking about plays and whether or not I’m going to get hurt,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think I’m pretty good at avoiding situations where you can get hurt and avoiding guys on the floor. “It’s kind of dangerous. When somebody is taking a charge, you’ve gotta step in the right place for you to not sprain your ankle, for you to not step wrong and hurt your knee or something.”"

Those concerns were certainly validated when Antetokounmpo suffered a minor knee sprain that prevented him from playing in the last two games before the season was suspended.

Antetokounmpo’s injury concerns aside, there’s essentially no reversing the level of turnovers he has and will continue to commit if and when the year continues, given the extravagant usage percentage he’s logged at 36.2 percent, which leads the league. And he has the seventh-most total turnovers at 209 this season as well.

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Playing as a seven-foot battering ram, Antetokounmpo will continue to live in harm’s way and will be at the risk of recording plenty of turnovers. But just because he’s gotten used to it doesn’t mean it’s easy to play the way he wants to.

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