It's fair to say that not a lot of people outside Wisconsin are particularly high on the Milwaukee Bucks headed into this coming season. But what those low expectations may do is set Giannis Antetokounmpo up for a dominant season where he could even be a real threat to win MVP if he helps this team beat the odds.
Should Giannis lead Milwaukee to 50 wins or more this season, he is going to become extremely hard to ignore in MVP discussion. And with fewer star teammates around him, Giannis' contributions are going to be that much more central to the team's success.
It would be the classic case of an MVP who wills an under-talented team beyond where people think they should be able to go. National media outlets and those who vote on awards certainly love the stereotypical narratives of how much better one star player can make an otherwise lacking team.
Of course, it's not hard to see that Bucks fans and the national audience alike widely see this team's current roster as a bit underwhelming. It's that kind of skepticism that's going to give Giannis a leg up. But on top of this, Antetokounmpo will need to exhibit strong efficiency alongside what will undoubtedly be high usage.
Giannis can will himself to another MVP in 2025-26
Giannis in his prime is always going to deliver when it comes to pure box score numbers. But if he can take that production and somehow turn it into a bunch of wins for the Bucks, that would hypothetically create a pretty formidable case for this prestigious award.
There's obviously plenty of rumblings about Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee. He's of course reassured doubters every chance that he gets, stating wholeheartedly that he loves playing in Milwaukee and does not want to leave. With that being said, this upcoming season could be a bit of a pivotal one.
Should Antetokounmpo perform well but it not lead to numbers in the win column, we all know the unfortunate reality is that that's just going to stir up these conversations once again next summer. But if he can will the Bucks to victories and get them past a certain wind threshold in the regular season, it's only going to reassure fans that he probably won't come close to leaving.
My honest feeling is that Giannis knows the kind of unique challenge this upcoming season presents. But he's never been the type of guy to run away from a difficult situation. If anything, I'd expect to see an even more driven and purposeful number 34 in 2025-26. And if that leads to more winning than expected, don't be surprised to see him among the favorites in the MVP discussion.