Joel Embiid is ready to hand himself the title of NBA’s most unstoppable player, but Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t quite on board with that. Or, at the very least, he doesn’t appear to love the fact the Philadelphia 76ers star big man decided to call himself that. Giannis was asked about these comments made by Embiid, and his answer was pretty straightforward.
While Antetokounmpo did praise Embiid as a player and called “really, really good,” he also doesn’t believe anyone should hand themselves that label, as Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel quoted.
“If he believes he’s the most unstoppable player in the NBA that’s good for him. Obviously, he’s a really, really good player. He’s hard to guard, he’s a hard player to guard. I think, like, other people should say that about you; you don’t say that about yourself.” Velazquez quoted Antetokounmpo as saying.
This response came just one day prior to a matchup between the Sixers and Milwaukee Bucks. With the NBA season winding down, the game doesn’t mean quite as much as originally anticipated, although both teams are attempting to lock in their current playoff spots.
Joel Embiid’s Original Comments
Embiid made these comments during an interview after the team’s 118-115 win over the Boston Celtics recently. He spoke to ESPN and said, “I’m the most unstoppable player in the league” shortly after pouring in 37 points with 22 rebounds during his team’s victory.
After that game, Embiid also spoke about the outcome and the fact he and his teammates think they can beat anyone, as Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer revealed.
“I think [beating Boston] gives us more confidence,” Simmons said after the tense, physical, come-from-behind win. “We feel like we can beat anybody in this league.”
“They put the ball in my hand in the fourth quarter and tell me to make plays,” Butler said. “I think, as of late, I’ve been doing a good job of that.”
After this performance and the way Embiid has played all year, there’s no question he’s among the NBA’s best big men, but Antetokounmpo has done some special things this season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s NBA MVP Candidacy
The Greek Freak has been exceptional all year, leading the Bucks in points, rebounds and assists per game. Through the first 70 games he’s played, Antetokounmpo has posted marks of 27.4 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists, all of which are career bests. He’s also shooting an impressive 57.7 percent from the field and has been dominant in virtually every aspect.
While he may wind up in second place during MVP voting, his team’s general manager Jon Horst made sure to go to bat for him during a recent segment of FS1’s First Things First.
“Yeah, to me it’s really clear. So most valuable player to a team – we’ve got the best team. We’ve beaten Houston twice, we’ve got the best team in the East and the best team in the league right now record-wise, we’ll see what happens in the playoffs, but Giannis offensively and defensively has dominated this league.” Horst stated.
These comments are tough to argue with, but Houston Rockets star James Harden’s season stands out in a big way as well.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Not a Fan of Joel Embiid’s ‘Most Unstoppable’ Comment