Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most dominant players in the game today. He is a multiple-time MVP and has already managed to win a championship by the age of 26. He already has a Hall of Fame-caliber resume.
Despite his success in the league today, there are people who believe that Giannis Antetokounmpo wouldn’t be as good in previous basketball eras. One of these players is Charles Oakley, who claimed that Giannis Antetokounmpo would be coming off the bench during his basketball era.
He doing his thing. I was skeptical because he couldn’t make a jumpshot or a free throw. But after what he did last year, he won me over… He wouldn’t have been a force back in the day. He would have struggled. They would make him shoot jump shots. He wouldn’t be doing no euros to the basket… I’m glad he’s doing what he’s doing now. He would have been coming off the bench back in the day.
Isiah Thomas has clapped back at the idea that Giannis Antetokounmpo would be any less dominant in previous basketball eras. Thomas compared Antetokounmpo to Rockets legend Ralph Sampson, and added that Giannis Antetokounmpo would “dog” his opponents in the 80s or 90s “every single time”.
Isiah Thomas speaks the truth about the recent takes of Giannis Antetokounmpo surviving in the 80/90's basketball https://t.co/HLqAvj5hKz
— PiñataFarms: Meme Maker (@pinatafarms) March 1, 2022
I remember in the 80s, there was a guy named Ralph Sampson… before Ralph Sampson got hurt, I remember Bill Russell saying Ralph Sampson could be the best basketball player ever because of his skillset… Giannis is today’s Ralph Sampson.
All these guys talking about when Giannis couldn’t play and all that. Dude, Giannis going around Oakley, Giannis going around all them, he dunking on them. He bigger, he faster, he stronger.
You can talk all that stuff because you don’t play no more, because you got gray hair, sitting on the sidelines smoking a cigar talking about what you used to do, but he would dog you every single time. You may hit him hard, but after you hit him hard, you got no game.
You ain’t got nothing but a hit?’ I’m ready to mess over you. All y’all stop it… We ain’t never see no dude like this. Give him his props, give him his credit. He would dog anybody in the 80s, 90s, 00s, & in 3020 when we get there.
There is no question that Giannis Antetokounmpo would likely find a way to dominate in any era he was put in. Talented players find ways to succeed anywhere, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is well-known for his work ethic, meaning he’d work hard to improve no matter when he was playing.
At the end of the day, Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players to have ever played the game. He is already on the all-time NBA 75. It is unfair to suggest he wouldn’t succeed in another time, especially since basketball as a sport continuously evolves. Perhaps Giannis Antetokounmpo will be able to silence the doubters in the future by adding more accolades to his resume.
