Giannis Antetokounmpo named in Time’s 100 most influential people for 2020
By Adam McGee
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo’s star continues to grow as he was included in Time’s 100 most influential people for 2020.
There’s little doubt about the importance of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the NBA in 2020. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward is the league’s MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and the object of desire for 29 other franchises a year out from his potential free agency.
Just a couple of days ago, an Antetokounmpo trading card even fetched the largest price of all-time for a basketball card, pointing to just how sky-high his profile now is in the wider sporting world.
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The reality, though, is that all of that has a spill-over effect and Antetokounmpo’s profile beyond sport is only growing too.
If any further evidence of that was needed to begin with, it unquestionably arrived on Tuesday night as Antetokounmpo took his place in the TIME 100, Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world for 2020.
To name just a few figures in that same company as Antetokounmpo, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Anthony Fauci, Yo-Yo Ma, Bong Joon Ho, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, The Weeknd, Patrick Mahomes, Dwyane Wade, and Naomi Osaka were also among the eclectic mix of people from a wide variety of fields to make the cut.
Antetokounmpo was included in the Pioneers category, and his inclusion was accompanied by a short write-up from the only other person to ever have won an MVP award while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wrote of Antetokounmpo:
"“Every generation finds an athlete who embodies the qualities we all wish we had: dedication, focus, exceptional athleticism and grace under pressure.Giannis Antetokounmpo, who just won a second straight NBA MVP award, has all that and more. To watch him play is to see not just what is, but also what is possible. There is some mystical quality that quickens a fan’s heart when they see that person walk onto the court. The true sports hero makes our bones vibrate and flesh ripple in anticipation of witnessing greatness.”"
Abdul-Jabbar continued:
"“Giannis sets an example by standing up for what he believes in. After leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the playoffs, he and his team protested the police shooting of Jacob Blake in their home state by refusing to play, sparking a wave of strikes and postponements throughout the NBA. I once asked Giannis what his name meant, and he told me ‘the crown has arrived.’ It certainly has.”"
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For Bucks fans who have followed Giannis’ journey from the moment he arrived in the US back in 2013, his seemingly endlessly upward trajectory has led to some surreal moments in recent years. This certainly ranks among them, but acts as great credit to the incredible work Antetokounmpo has put in over the years.