Giannis Antetokounmpo may be a difficult name to pronounce, but it’s one that fans all across the NBA landscape are becoming increasingly familiar with.
“The Greek Freak,” as Antetokounmpo is known, is a 6-foot-11 stat-stuffing machine, who leads the Milwaukee Bucks in nearly every statistical category known to man. So far this season, the former No. 15 overall selection in the 2013 NBA Draft is averaging 23.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.7 steals per game. It’s safe to say, he has quickly become a key member of his team’s rotation.
Antetokounmpo, a freshly-dubbed NBA All-Star, tells Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com that he draws a lot of his inspiration from Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James.
“He’s a guy that not just me, but everybody looks up to and before I even came into the league I always looked up to,” Antetokounmpo said of James. “He’s not just a great player, he has a great personality and is a great leader. He makes everybody better, keeps everybody alert and he has the whole package. That’s the type of player you have to look up to.”
Prior to their matchup in November, several members of the Cavaliers organization had high praise for Antetokounmpo’s progress as a young player in the association.
James knows Antetokounmpo is a rare talent. In fact, they both play a (somewhat) similar game. Both can play all five positions, create their own shot, and are excellent defenders. One day, when “The King,” as James is justly known, decides to hang up his basketball shoes, the NBA will need a new leader. Maybe Antetokounmpo can take the reigns — maybe not. For now, the budding young buck will have to wait, as James has no signs of slowing down.
