Giannis Antetokounmpo has elevated the Milwaukee Bucks to a level beyond imaginable in today’s NBA, which has sparked a few rivalries on the way.
Since he came into the league as an unknown lottery pick from Greece in 2013, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s rise to stardom has been sensational. The superstar has improved every single year of his career and has racked up several accolades on the way at such a young age.
From 2016-17 Most Improved Player winner to third youngest MVP in NBA history in 2018-19, Antetokounmpo has only scratched the surface of his potential at 25 years old. Giannis has already asserted himself among the best players in the NBA today, and when someone is among the best, they have to compete with the best.
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This high-profile stature has created some rivalries along the way for the 25-year-old, but with Antetokounmpo, everyone not wearing a Bucks’ uniform is a rival. Fresh off of his MVP season last summer, Giannis declined workouts with several high profile players such as LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony because it did not feel right to him.
He openly stated that he was not a fan of how friendly the NBA is in today’s game among players as these are supposed to be rivals. Antetokounmpo’s incredible mindset is just one of the characteristics that define him as a player and showcases how he feels about opposing players.
With Antetokounmpo, the only thing that matters is winning in Milwaukee. When it comes to rivalries, the MVP may downplay the idea that he is involved in any, but the stakes are significantly higher when he shares the court with particular players.
In this case, a rivalry does not need to be a personal hatred towards a specific person, but someone who ultimately stands in the way of No. 34’s goals. Here are three of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s rivals that have presented significant forms of adversity throughout his career.