Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo is the perfect face of the league
By Dalton Sell
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s work ethic is inspiring for fans everywhere, not just of the Milwaukee Bucks
While some of his peers across the league have argued that Antetokounmpo is skill-less and that his game is not impressive, that is far from the truth. The 26-year-old has risen to be one of the greatest players of this generation thanks to a resilient desire to improve that has taken him to new heights since being drafted.
His relentless work ethic has been highlighted throughout his NBA career, most notably from one of his biggest heroes, the late Kobe Bryant. In a Q&A with The Athletic (subscription required), Bryant detailed how he was set to work out with Antetokounmpo several years ago, and that the Greek Freek had shown up an hour and a half earlier than scheduled. He said that the ascending star also whipped out a notepad, looking to pick Bryant’s brain at every moment possible.
If you needed any further indication of just how dedicated Antetokounmpo is to get better, just look at his transformation coming into the league. When the Bucks selected him 15th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft, he was a lanky 18-year-old that weighed just about 190 pounds. Eight years later, he has eclipsed 240 pounds, and it seems safe to say that those extra pounds did not come from the 50-piece chicken nuggets he ordered at Chick-fil-A after dropping 50 points in Game 6.
Packing on 40 pounds of muscle, Antetokounmpo’s dedication to the weight room has transformed him into arguably the most dominant player in the game today. Despite finally adding the title to his long list of accomplishments, Antetokounmpo is undoubtedly not ready to settle just yet. Knowing that mentality of his, he might already be back in the weight room gearing up for another run at a title next season.