MILWAUKEE — Fresh off a career-high 55-point performance against the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo opened up about his appreciation for the game and goal of having a career on-par with LeBron James and the greats of his time.
“Can I put myself in the position to be one of the best players?” Giannis questioned in a press conference. “One of the better players that brings it every night, like a guy named LeBron James, who was able to score 47 on his birthday and the next game, I think he scored 43 in year 20.
“38 years old — that he’s able to take care of his body every single night and put himself in a position to be successful and help his team [win] every single night. That’s the goal.”
EXTRA POINTS: Giannis’ 50-point outburst is a sign of changing times in the NBA
By this stage of his career, LeBron James is less than 500 points away from breaking Bucks legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record of 38,387 career-points in the NBA. He’s a four-time champion, 18-time All-NBA selection and four-time NBA MVP — a far reach for anyone to achieve, yet Giannis is firmly within reach.
Ultimately, invoking LeBron’s legacy in the league was more about the standard that Giannis Antetokounmpo sets for himself. The 10-year NBA veteran is in the prime years of his career at 28 and won his first title a season earlier than LeBron did in his career.
Yet through the fame, glory and tireless work ethic, the common denominator that truly differentiates Giannis and LeBron from the rest of the sports world is their unwavering love for the game.
READ: 5 Milwaukee Bucks trade targets who would make a difference in a title run
“Guys like LeBron have been great since 2003. It’s 2023. I want to be one of those guys,” Giannis said. “For me, I want to have fun, I want to enjoy the game, I want to create art as much as I can, and I want to get in a position that my game… is boring.
“I want other people to feel like my game is boring, but I don’t get bored. The greats, the best players never get bored.”
Call it a hunch, but it doesn’t matter what Giannis does — Milwaukee Buck fans will never find his graceful, explosive play style boring and apparently neither will he.
TOP HEADLINES FROM THE WTMJ NEWS STAFF:
- Wauwatosa Public Library ditches fines for overdue adult books
- Appleton murder suspect arrested, charged with homicide and robbery
- Mequon firefighters pull body from burning home, roads closed overnight
- Massive tug boat sunk 26 feet into Kinnickinnic River, drawing U.S. Coast Guard
- Dr. John Raymond Explains Commotio Cordis following NFL player’s health scare
READ: Evers pushes for legal abortions and marijuana, expanded Medicaid in second inaugural address