Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the premier superstars in the game today. He is a two-time MVP and won an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. However, it seems as though even someone as talented as Antetokounmpo has his critics.
Gilbert Arenas has previously criticized Giannis Antetokounmpo for supposedly not understanding basketball. He claimed that Antetokounmpo “doesn’t understand how to be better currently”.
“I can look at his game and say he doesn’t understand basketball yet. He plays the sport, he won a championship, cool! But he doesn’t understand how to be better, how to train his body. To be at the top, you have to train your body at least 38 minutes and above. LeBron played 37 minutes at 37. Allen Iverson was playing 43 minutes”, he added.
There is no doubt that this was considered a hot-take by many fans. Obviously, someone who has won at the highest level clearly understands how to play the game and be elite doing so.
Gilbert Arenas Continues Criticism Of Giannis Antetokounmpo
Recently, Gilbert Arenas continued his criticism of Giannis Antetokounmpo. He suggested that the dominant power forward doesn’t quite have the knowledge level f the other stars in the league, naming Chris Paul and LeBron James as examples. (3:10):
Let’s go to the mental side. Is he smarter than Chris Paul? Is he smarter than LeBron James? Is he smarter than (Stephen) Curry, Klay (Thompson), Draymond (Green), Kawhi Leonard, (Nikola) Jokic, Luka (Doncic)? If he doesn’t rank number one in that, that’s what I mean.
Giannis Antetokounmpo notably started playing basketball later than most players in the league, and his development has been nothing short of amazing. The type of game knowledge that Chris Paul and LeBron James possess develops with time, and it is entirely possible that we see Giannis Antetokounmpo improve in that area after a few more years in the league.
Even if Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t as experienced as other stars, he is still dominant enough to lead a team to the title. The Milwaukee Bucks will be among the contenders next season, and with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roster, they’ll always have a chance of winning the title.
Of course, the Eastern Conference is no cakewalk, with strong teams like the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers aiming to make the Finals as well. However, in any series, Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the best player there, and sometimes, that is enough to win.
