Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is on track to become just the third person in NBA history to win Defensive Player of The Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season.
At a glance, it’s hard to dispute his claim to the awards. His size, strength, and talent have made him an impossible force to stop all year long and on the defensive end, he set the tone for his team, which was ranked first in the NBA.
But is there something we’re missing with Giannis? In an exclusive interview with ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, one current player explained why the Greek Freak does not deserve the title as the league’s best defender.
An All-Star suggested to me that Giannis Antetokounmpo shouldn’t be the Defensive Player of the Year because he’s not a lockdown defender who shuts down other stars. The Bucks clearly need someone to take that challenge with Jimmy Butler. https://t.co/JvH2PAicNG
— Tim MacMahon (@BannedMacMahon) September 1, 2020
Giannis got a lot of heat for not stepping to guard Heta star Jimmy Butler (who was going off) in the closing minutes of the game. Through JB’s performance and Antetokounmpo’s struggles in the fourth, the Heat were able to pull out a win in Game 1.
It remains to be seen how Giannis will respond. Dominant play over the next few rounds might be enough to win the title and shut the doubters up for good. But as a guy seen by many as the best player in the NBA, he has really got to step up and start producing when it matters most.
Otherwise, he might find his status as an NBA elite being increasingly questioned.
