Giannis’ cute interaction with his sons and Wemby gives Bucks fans hope

Despite being injured, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo still has all his usual charm and bravado. During All-Star Weekend, his young sons asked him if he was better than Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, and Giannis responded, “one thousand percent, one million percent”.

Giannis’ confidence in himself as a dominant force should give Bucks fans hope for the rest of this season and beyond.

Giannis is still one of the best in the business 

There’s been a rush to anoint Wembanyama as a top-five player already. And it makes sense; he’s a 7-foot-6 phenom doing things on the court that nobody has ever seen before. But he also lacks the consistent offensive production that separates the true cream of the crop, like Giannis.

"But [Wembanyama]’s not better than me," the Greek Freak said.

In the short term, Giannis will have the chance to prove his superiority once he returns to the court. The Bucks have a tough schedule remaining and still need to fight their way into the Play-In Tournament. If Giannis can lead the Bucks through the Play-In and have any success in the playoffs, his status as a top player in the league can’t be challenged.

Beyond the summer, Giannis‘s self-belief can also keep him in Milwaukee. For someone as stubborn and confident as he is, it might be unthinkable to team up with another star elsewhere. Instead, he could be looking to further establish his legacy on the Bucks and possibly bring in a secondary star to complement him and bolster the roster.

The league at large and many fans seem to have forgotten about Giannis’ dominance this season. He's having arguably the best two-way impact of his career, and yet it’s fallen on deaf ears due to the lack of team success. His absence on the court during All-Star Weekend only made it easier to ignore what he’s done.

Giannis’ production makes it hard to refuse his claim. He’s still got a claim for the best player in the world, and it’s obvious if you look at the numbers or watch his play on the court. He’s averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists per game this season - a stat line rarely matched throughout NBA history. And unlike many other top stars who rack up stats, Giannis is also a positive defender.

Even with all of the Bucks' flaws, Giannis has been able to elevate them to a 15-15 record in games that he plays. But they are just 8-15 without him. He’s had to carry the team in many ways, but he’s more than capable of shouldering that load. And until proven otherwise, he is in fact better than Victor Wembanyama.