Giannis Antetokounmpo has been called the best player in the NBA by various sources heading into the 2022-23 season despite Stephen Curry being the reigning Finals MVP. Antetokounmpo has already conceded the title of best player to Stephen Curry, disagreeing with the likes of NBA 2K and ESPN. They believe Giannis is better than Curry heading into the next season.
Conceding the title of ‘best player in the world’ to Curry seems fair on the part of the highly humble Giannis. This can also be a way for the Greek superstar to motivate himself to ensure he gets back to the championship mountaintop in the coming season. At the Bucks media day, Giannis openly admitted that he was jealous watching the Warriors at their championship parade and at the ESPYS, so that has reignited the hunger he had before 2021 to win a championship.
“There’s something to desperation (before your first championship) but I haven’t lost it. I’m blessed to be in this spot and I’m not going to take it for granted. I want to win a championship. I kind of got jealous of seeing Golden State’s parade, seeing them in the parade and the ESPYs. You know that feeling now. You know what is getting stripped away from you.””
Giannis speaks on his motivation to win another championship.#NBAMediaDay pic.twitter.com/Z1ukBODIRa
— NBA (@NBA) September 25, 2022
Can Giannis And The Bucks Win Another Championship?
If the Bucks fail to win the 2023 NBA Championship, the team will have to reevaluate itself completely. They are one of the oldest teams in the league and it’ll be tough for Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday to all maintain their level of play with every added season.
Lopez struggled with health for most of last season and it affected the Bucks on the court in a noticeable way. The team fell apart in the playoffs when Middleton was hurt, so there are too many things that need to go correctly for the Bucks for them to even have a chance at competing.
As long as Giannis is healthy, the Bucks will fancy they can beat any team in the league. However, it is the health and continued excellence of his supporting cast that will make the decision on whether this era of the Bucks have another championship run in them after their heroics in 2021.
