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89. . F. Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo. 2. player
The two-time MVP has actually struggled on some level relative to what we’ve come to expect from the Greek-born superstar. And yet, the numbers are otherworldly and he’s spearheading the second-best team in the NBA despite the prolonged absence of Khris Middleton, a top-25 player, to start the season.
Giannis is averaging 30.6 points per game, the highest mark of his career, on 52.7 percent shooting. He’s also supplying Milwaukee with All-NBA caliber defense, roaming the paint and snuffing out drives to the rim with his 9,000-foot wingspan. The Bucks have the most potent defense in the NBA right now, and while a lot of credit goes to Brook Lopez and Jrue Holiday, it’s impossible to discount the singular influence of Giannis and his one-of-a-kind athleticism.
Not many MVP players hustle like Giannis. He impacts the game by sheer force of will, never not taking his matchup personally. He embraces contact at the rim, he’ll dive for loose balls defensively, and he’ll crash the glass with reckless abandon. The intangibles are just that — intangible — but Giannis’ brutal strength and relentless effort just undeniably translates to wins.
He could win MVP and DPOY. That’s the kind of season Giannis is having, and more broadly, the kind of player he is. It’s hard not to admire him. He doesn’t have the greatest track record with ladders, but Giannis ranks highly on this one.