Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking to expand his game, and he’s got his eyes on a retired legend to help him do it. Speaking recently, the Bucks star revealed he avoids working out with active players, like LeBron James, but says he’d love the chance to train with Carmelo Anthony.
“I don’t like working with players who are playing right now,” said Giannis, via Sport24. “I want to work with young guys and with LeBron, for example. I could work with LeBron, but he’s still playing. I’ll see him in a month or two, and he’ll be my opponent. I like working with players who are retired. I think the next one is Carmelo Anthony. If I could work with Carmelo Anthony, I would love to.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the top three best players in the NBA right now, and he still finds the time to hone his craft. Just like Anthony Edwards, he’s leaning on the wisdom and knowledge of the past to help take his game to the next level. Unlike Edwards, however, the Greek Freak is much more selective with who he chooses to work with.
That standard contrasts greatly with the typical approach from players today. Whether it’s to hang out, collaborate on a project, or work out in the gym, even the fiercest of rivals have normalized honing their skills with the competition, and it speaks to a major culture shift among today’s top athletes.
Giannis, however, is arguably the biggest name to resist this trend. Rather than make nice and work with his “enemies” on the court, he’d rather train with retired players and former legends. As one of the most competitive stars in the game, Giannis wants to learn from the past, not give his enemies a glimpse into his game.
Notably, Giannis called out Carmelo Anthony, specifically, as someone he wants to work with. Anthony, a 10x All-Star and Hall of Famer, played a different style than Giannis, but his offensive game was undeniable with career averages of 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.
As more of a perimeter and mid-range shooter, Carmelo can teach Giannis some of his signature moves and help him become a more potent scorer. At the very least, he could help Giannis develop a more consistent jumper, which may be the last piece he needs to maximize his skillset.
With averages of 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game last season, Antetokounmpo is already building a Hall of Fame career, but if he’s able to become an effective outside scorer, it will open up a whole new world of opportunities.
So far, Carmelo Anthony has yet to respond to Giannis’ workout request, but we already know how the iconic Knicks legend feels about Giannis. He knows just as much as anyone how special he is, and he’s not likely to pass up the chance to become a part of his basketball journey.
If Giannis does get a chance to train with Carmelo, it could be the perfect blend of power and finesse. Melo’s midrange mastery combined with Giannis’ relentless athleticism would give the Bucks star another weapon in his arsenal, and that’s a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.
