Home

NBA

How Giannis Antetokounmpo is Living Up to Kevin Durant’s 2017 Prediction For Him

Published 09/17/2021, 2:30 PM EDT

Follow Us

USA Today via Reuters

It takes an entire NBA career for a player to enter the conversation as one of the best. Nevertheless, some, like Michael Jordan and LeBron James, didn’t take long to have their names etched at the top of the game. Similarly, a young Giannis Antetokounmpo is not far behind from doing the same.

Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first-ever NBA championship in half a century. Moreover, the Greek national battled through an injury to compete for his team. His loyalty and determination finally bore fruit, and he even won the Finals MVP for his heroic performance against The Phoenix Suns.


Surprisingly, back in 2017, Kevin Durant made an interesting prediction about ‘The Greek Freak’. A prediction that very well may turn into a reality.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

When Michael Jordan Took It Personally During a Game of Ping Pong

Giannis Antetokounmpo on his way to be the GOAT?

In 2017, Durant said that Antetokounmpo had a lot of potential. According to Durant, ‘The Greek Freak’ is a force that he has never seen before. But what caught everyone’s eye is that he gave him the ultimate praise.

Durant said: “Greek Freak, I think is force and I have never seen anything like him. And he is still in his prime. He could end up being the best player to ever play, if he really wanted to.”

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Receiving such praise from one of the best scorers to play the game is amazing. Moreover, Antetokounmpo’s career seems to be unfolding just the way Kevin Durant predicted. At twenty-six, Antetokounmpo has a resume that many NBA players can only imagine retiring with. He is a two-time MVP, an NBA champion, Finals MVP, and also a Defensive Player of the Year.

Additionally, he is only one of three players to win MVP and DPOY in the same season. Durant mentioned that he could be the best if he wants to, and Giannis is surely on his way. While he has found immense success, Giannis’ work ethic remains steadfast. ‘The Greek Freak’ will continue to build his legacy and further make his case as one of the greatest players to play the game.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

USA Today via Reuters

While Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t the best yet, he surely ranks among the most elite players in the league today.

Considering his age, Antetokounmpo is still in his prime and will be for a long time. A couple more championships and he will surely be in the GOAT conversation, without a doubt.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Do you think Antetokounmpo can retire as the GOAT? Let us know in the comments below.

WATCH THIS STORYMichael Jordan’s Insane One-Handed Ball Fakes Will Shake You To The Core

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Anuj Talwalkar

2,362Articles

One take at a time

Anuj Talwalkar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a student studying at NM College in Mumbai, aspiring to pursue sports management to follow his love for sports. Anuj started following the NBA last year, and he loves to combine his passion for writing with his understanding of basketball.
Show More>