It’s the holiday season (no pun intended) and there’s no better way to get in the giving spirit than to hand out some gifts to the Milwaukee Bucks. It’s been a bit of a bumpy ride for the defending champs this season, but they’ve managed to stay right near the top of the Eastern Conference thanks to their depth and, of course, star power.
It would be easy to simply hand out a blanket gift of good health and a repeat championship for the Bucks, but gifts are about the thought you put into them, not only the gift itself.
Milwaukee wouldn’t have the record it does without the contributions from each player on the roster, so therefore, each player, no matter how big or small of a role, deserves to get a gift this season. The gift could be big or small, serious or silly, but each player deserves something this holiday season (again, no pun intended).
Milwaukee Bucks: Grayson Allen, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Grayson Allen: The starting shooting guard job
It seems silly to give Grayson Allen a gift he already has given that he has started all 30 games he’s played so far this season, but it’s like paying off someone’s house or car. Allen may have the starting job at the moment, but the gift is that he gets to own it for the rest of the season.
Donte DiVincenzo’s debut has been delayed due to health and safety protocols, but his return is imminent and once he’s back to full health, he is a definite threat to get his starting job back from Allen. The 26-year-old has performed well enough to keep it so far, but there’s competition coming.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: A third MVP award (and perhaps a DPOY)
It’s hard to get a gift for a man who has everything. He has multiple MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year award, multiple All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense selections, even a championship and Finals MVP.
So, without settling for the standard “a clean bill of health” or “another championship,” I’m giving Antetokounmpo his third MVP award. He’s in a tight race with Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant, and Golden State’s Steph Curry. You could make an argument for all four, but I’m gifting Antetokounmpo his third MVP award as he makes his return from health and safety protocols soon.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo: A 3-point jumper
This is a bit of a stretch for a player who’s already 29 years old, but it’s the season of giving and nothing is out of reach for me. I mean, come on, could you imagine Thanasis Antetokounmpo if he could knock down the 3 at around a 37 to 39 percent clip on decent volume?
It’s not going to happen, but it’s something I often think about when I watch him. He’s a bundle of energy and enthusiasm, having a relatively solid season while playing the most minutes per game of his career, but if he had a 3-point jumper? Things would get wacky.