Giannis Antetokounmpo: Caron Butler details how MVP can be all-time great
By Dalton Sell
Caron Butler, a former teammate of Giannis Antetokounmpo, recently detailed what he believes the MVP needs to do to become an all-time great.
With an MVP award under his belt, and the potential to take home another plus Defensive Player of the Year honors this season, there is no questioning how good Giannis Antetokounmpo is. The 25-year-old has gotten better each season he has played, showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
As great as Giannis has turned out to be, a former teammate of his believes that Antetokounmpo needs to put a few championships on his resume to get considered an all-time great player. Caron Butler, who appeared in 34 games for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013-14, played alongside the MVP when he was merely a rookie, and wants to see his former teammate take that next step.
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Speaking on the NBA Hangtime Podcast, Caron Butler joined Sekou Smith to discuss his thoughts.
"“I do think that the conversation that we’ve had from all the former greats. It is like, okay if you don’t win a championship, you will be criticized,” Butler said.“We’ve seen it in the past with Michael Jordan. We’ve seen it in the past with the late, great Kobe Bryant, we’ve seen it with LeBron James and the list goes on. I think now he is starting to become subject to that because, let’s face it, he is an elite talent. He is a unicorn in the game when we talk about his ability on the court.”“But in order to be compared to the LeBrons, the Kawhi Leonards and Kevin Durants, he is going to have to win championships.”"
Butler undoubtedly makes a fair point. After last year’s collapse in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Toronto Raptors, many questioned whether Antetokounmpo could indeed lead a team to a title. Until the MVP can lead this team over the hump, that narrative will continue to loom over him. Thankfully, Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks will have a legitimate opportunity to do so this season.
With a 53-12 record, the Bucks head to the NBA’s restart in Orlando with the best record in the association as they look to chase the title. When last seen, Milwaukee was losers of three straight as Giannis remained sidelined due to a knee injury. With Antetokounmpo healed after a nearly four-month layoff, he believes that he and the Bucks have a shot at winning one of the most challenging championships ever, as detailed via ESPN:
"“I feel like a lot of people say that there’s gonna be a star next to this championship,” Antetokounmpo said. “I feel like, at the end of the day, this is gonna be the toughest championship you could ever win — because the circumstances are really, really tough right now. So whoever wants it more is going to be able to go out there and take it.”"
The path to a title will not be easy by any means, but the league-best Milwaukee Bucks are undoubtedly capable of overcoming the adversity surrounding the entire situation. Giannis Antetokounmpo is certainly on his way to becoming an all-time great player in NBA history, but a championship this season would accelerate the process.