Getty Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James
Despite LeBron James being 39 years old and Giannis Antetokounmpo being 29 years old, three-time NBA champion Udonis Haslem would still take the former over the latter nowadays.
The Miami Heat alum explained why his former teammate over the Milwaukee Bucks two-time MVP on the March 5 episode of “The OGs.”
“This is not knocking anything that Giannis does, man, but what I’m saying is I’m going with the skillset. I’m going off of what I see. I watched after we lost that playoff series against Dallas in the playoffs. I watched Bron get in the m********** lab and come back next summer the next year with s*** that I never seen him do. I have not watched Giannis come back yet with s*** I ain’t seen. I’m still waiting.”
Haslem referred to the 2011 NBA Finals, where the Heat lost to the Mavericks in six games. James’ performance led to many people mocking him that summer, pushing him further to improve his craft. The Heat then won two consecutive titles, which have Haslem two of the three titles he won during his playing days.
Oddly, Haslem referenced something LeBron did at 25 to justify why he would take him over Giannis at 39. Giannis, too, has experienced crushing playoff defeats before winning a title. He lost in the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals after the Bucks took a 2-0 lead. He then lost to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals the following postseason.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has won an NBA title but has only won one playoff series since then. Getting humiliated coincidentally by the Heat in the first round may very well have pushed Giannis to improve, but he’ll have to demonstrate as such in the postseason.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Shouts Out Family
Giannis Antetokounmpo has become one of the best players in NBA and one of the best players the Bucks have ever had. He singled out his family for how he turned out the way he is in an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints’ Scotty White
“[They played] the biggest [role in my life],” Antetokounmpo told ClutchPoints in a March 5 story. “My brother, Thanasis. I am the man that I am because of him. Not even close. This guy is… If you could mold the perfect brother. he has to be up there, man. And my dad. My dad taught me about hard work and being respectful. Being considerate of other people. My mom always told me to never give up, chase my dream until the end. My little brothers are there supporting me. Without them, I wouldn’t be even close to the man that I am today.”
Though Thanasis has been mocked for nepotism, the Bucks have been fine with giving him a roster spot since 2019. It’s abundantly clear that Giannis would prefer having him around because of his influence.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Ranks No. 3 in MVP Rankings
NBA.com’s Michael C. Wright listed Giannis Antetokunmpo No. 3 in his March 1 power rankings. Antetokounmpo ranked behind only Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Wright explained why Anteotkounmpo received his ranking.
“We’re starting to see Milwaukee settle in under new coach Doc Rivers, and we can’t diminish Antetokounmpo’s role on the team. The two-time MVP is putting together his best shooting month of the season, and he’s draining a career-high from the field by a longshot.”
If the Bucks build on their six-game winning streak, that could go a long way in helping Giannis get his third MVP trophy.