Giannis Antetokounmpo is a bit of a rarity in today’s NBA. Besides his insane size and skillset, his mentality and approach to the game are a dime a dozen. He believes in loyalty, hard work, and treating his peers as competition rather than as “friends.”
That line of thinking is very much in line with the famous “Mamba mentality” Kobe made famous years ago and former league big man Kendrick Perkins sees it. On SportsNet’s “Tim & Sid,” he described Giannis as an “old school” player with a “Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett kind of mentality.”
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It’s no secret that Giannis has always looked up to the Mamba. Like other players and millions of people worldwide, he grew up idolizing Kobe.
Years later, it is him who has taken up the Mamba’s mantle. Like Kobe and Garnett, he is a fighter who is willing to do whatever it takes to lead his franchise to a Championship.
This season, the results have been nothing short of spectacular. Giannis is the favorite to win his second consecutive MVP this season, averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists while leading the Bucks to the best record in the NBA. No doubt, if he does raise that Larry O’Brien trophy this June, it’ll be with the same heart, passion, and drive of the man who raised it five times as a Los Angeles Laker.
