Giannis Antetokounmpo is a wise man, no doubt about it. He has spread words of wisdom during his career, and now that he’s an NBA champion, he has reached a new level.
During his quest for the NBA championship, the Greek Freak didn’t miss a chance to leave a message to his fans, including little kids. In a recent clip, the player greets a little kid who looks very excited to see the 2x NBA MVP. Giannis shared a couple of words with him, delivering a big piece of advice.
Giannis: What’s up, man? What’s your name? Do you play basketball?
Kid: Yes.
Giannis: Are you good at it?
Kid: Yes.
Giannis: Can you shoot?
Kid: Yes.
Giannis: That’s good. Don’t be like me. Don’t be you know– Don’t be only dunking. Keep shooting that thing.
Antetokounmpo is a character. He’s not afraid of making fun of himself to make people laugh. He’s carried that attitude to the court, never going down after getting posterized or air balling a free throw. Giannis has a different mindset, which has taken him to be where he is.
The 26-year-old isn’t afraid of being humiliated; he knows he’ll have another chance in the next play, contrary to what other players do when they face adversity.
This dunking vs. shooting debate has been around for a while, especially for Antetokounmpo. James Harden criticized him for only running and dunking, and Giannis is aware that his game isn’t as diverse as others.
Well, that wasn’t a problem for him this year, as he took the Bucks to the championship for the first time in 50 years. The 2x MVP is always trying to get better; he knows what his struggles are. He knows this is a shooters league, and every kid dreaming of making it to the NBA should focus on shooting before anything.
