Milwaukee Bucks: 3 goals for Thanasis Antetokounmpo in 2020-21 season

Goal no. 3 – Sharpen defensive tools

Antetokounpo’s limited skill set is too big to ignore on the offensive end, but he does hold some promise on the other side of the ball.

The combination of Antetokounmpo’s size, physical tools and explosiveness all are alluring in a defensive sense and can be used in interesting ways if he were to crack the team’s rotation or see emergency minutes on random nights. Antetokounmpo’s aforementioned start against the Nuggets showed him briefly covering All-NBA-level center Nikola Jokic and did surprisingly well playing above his natural position.

As is so much of the case in the brief minutes we do see him on the floor, Antetokounmpo’s endless energy is palpable to see. But being able to hone his unbridled movement into something more substantial would be equally key to seeing the floor from Budenholzer’s perspective.

A lot has to go Antetokounmpo’s way in order to see more minutes than what he saw last season in Milwaukee. Perhaps another year of getting used to the Bucks’ system and development will help foster him into the role he desires with the Bucks.