In today’s NBA, the majority of players prefer to adopt a similar style of play, which involves making a lot of 3-point tries. There are a few, however, who play a different brand of basketball. One of those players is Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who prefers to dominate inside the paint by aggressively attacking the rim.
Antetokounmpo has struggled with jump shots ever since he began playing in 2013. He changed his body by gaining more muscle and causing internal injury rather than adjusting to the changing style of play at the time. This has worked for him, even helped him become a nine-time All-Star, a two-time MVP, a Finals MVP and a champion.
With a great reliance on his athleticism, Antetokounmpo, 30, is still going strong in the NBA. He has experienced numerous injuries over his career, but they haven’t deterred him.
One former NBA star who has found appreciation for his style of play in the hardwood is former Phoenix Suns big man Amar’e Stoudemire. In a recent interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Stoudemire talked about how much he sees himself in the Greek Freak.
“I was a fearless guy,” Stoudemire said. “I get to the basket regardless of how many players were in the paint, right? I attacked the rim. To see that now, I don’t see a lot of that; guys are more layups and finger rolls and reverse Euro-steps. I always got to the basket. To the rim! But I think that the only player that I see right now who has that type of quality is Giannis Antetokounmpo who’s playing at a high level.”
In his prime, the six-time All-Star was one of the most high-flying big men who was unstoppable inside the paint. The Milwaukee Bucks star has separated himself from the norm, which has made him one of the best stars in the league, the way Stoudemire etched his name in the history books.
Antetokounmpo’s trade rumors with the Milwaukee Bucks aren’t over
Numerous rumors concerning Antetokounmpo’s and the Milwaukee Bucks’ future surfaced over this offseason. In the past three seasons, the organization has been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. However, the Bucks recently re-signed Thanasis Antetokounmpo, which led people to believe that the nine-time All-NBA is staying.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe, on the other hand, revealed that the rumors aren’t over. Next summer, Antetokounmpo is extension-eligible and it’s up to the Bucks’ management whether they’ll sign him or not. Lowe revealed that the NBA star’s next contract is a four-year deal that is around the ballpark of $300 million.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
