On Friday afternoon, the NBA officially announced that Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was named league MVP for the second season in a row.
Whoopdie doo …
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1306971616258203654?s=20
https://twitter.com/espn/status/1306971667151958020?s=20
The Greek Freak finished the regular season as one of the most dominant players in the world, leading the Bucks to an NBA-best 56-17 record. The team also finished with the No. 1-ranked defense, helping Antetokounmpo lock-up the defensive player of the year award, as well. Earning both accolades in the same season makes him only the third player to ever do so, joining Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon.
Each season of his career, Antetokounmpo has shown nothing but improvement. He averaged a career-high 29.5 points and 13.6 rebounds this season. On top of that, he dished out 5.6 assists a game with 1.0 steal and 1.0 block. His impressive overall game made for a clear-cut MVP win, as he received 85-first place votes compared to LeBron James’ 16. The Rockets James Harden finished in third place, while Dallas’ Luke Doncic finished 4th. For a complete look at the voting, click here.
Let’s jump to what really matters, though – what this means for Antetokounmpo’s future. After a quick second-round exit in the playoffs, many began to speculate whether or not Antetokounmpo would want to stay in Milwaukee. A small market that may not have the easiest means to build a championship-caliber roster, it’s not hard to imagine Antetokounmpo would leave for another team. However, in most opportunities he’s received, Antetokounmpo has made it sound like Milwaukee is the place he’ll be. Not only did ESPN’s Eric Woodyard tweet that Antetokounmpo felt encouraged by his meeting with Bucks ownership, but the 2x MVP said in a conversation with TNT’s Ernie Johnson that he can easily see himself in Milwaukee for many years to come.
Giannis, when asked about his future: "As long as everybody's on the same page and as long as everybody's fighting for the same thing, fighting for the same thing every single day, which is to be a champion, I don't see why not to be in Milwaukee for the next 15 years."
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) September 18, 2020
Antetokounmpo will eventually have to make a firm decision, and he could do that as soon as this offseason. As ESPN’s Bobby Mark reminds us, there are several ways Antetokounmpo could grab his big payday.
Check it out:
To simplify his options in Milwaukee:
1. Super max extension in 2020
2. Super max contract in 2021
3. Super max contract in 2022 (if he signs a 1 year contract and elects to become a FA in 2022) https://t.co/0JH34SMvOD
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) September 18, 2020
A decision not to sign the supermax extension this offseason wouldn’t necessarily mean he isn’t bound to stay in Milwaukee. The Bucks will still be the team that can offer him the most money if he decides to wait until the 2021 offseason to get a deal done. With that said, the longer he waits to make a full commitment, the more likely he is to live.
Fortunately for him, Antetokounmpo has got time to figure this all out. And while we daydream about him magically ending up on our favorite team (he should just come to Chicago, for real), he’ll be chilling in Greece with his family and taking a much-needed vacation (where he’ll totally be thinking about coming to Chicago).
Check out Antetokounmpo’s full MVP interview below:
Commissioner Adam Silver announces @Giannis_34 as the #KiaMVP ⭐️
Get to NBA TV to hear from Giannis NEXT on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/8lriVHG2OG
— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 18, 2020