Giannis Antetokounmpo is an MVP, four-time all-star, and a three-time All-NBA selection. He is 25 years old and is on his way to winning his second consecutive MVP award. Before the season stopped, his team, the Milwaukee Bucks, had the best record in the league at 53-12. Taking all of this into account, it seems puzzling as to why the Bucks wouldn’t be championship contenders. A lack of Hall of Famers on the Bucks, inability to make outside shots, and not being able to take over in big games are why Antetokounmpo will never win on the Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Will Struggle to Win Big with the Milwaukee Bucks
Lack of Hall of Famers
There is a thought that is debated on about winning a championship in the NBA and it’s simple: teams need to have at least two Hall of Fame players on your roster to win a title. In the last 40 years, only two teams have won a championship not following this rule. The 2003-04 Detroit Pistons, who have zero Hall of Famers, and the 1993-94 Houston Rockets, who have one.
Outside of Antetokounmpo, there likely isn’t anyone else on this Bucks roster as currently constructed making the Hall of Fame. Khris Middleton, the second-best player on the team, is not good enough to be the second-best player on a championship team. The Bucks just signed him to a five year $178 million extension last offseason, so they are stuck with him.
Inability to Make Outside Shots
The one aspect that has hampered a player like Antetokounmpo from being unstoppable is developing a consistent jump shot. This year he is shooting 77 percent from inside of three feet and 62 percent from two-point range, overall. Since he shoots 76 percent of his shots from inside the three-point line, it is easy to see why he averages almost 30 points per game.
This season, he is averaging two more three-point attempts per game than last year. Since he is shooting 30 percent from three this season, this becomes problematic. Another issue is his free throw percentage, which is at a career-low 63 percent this season. Considering he is going to get fouled a lot driving to the basket, he should be focusing on his free throws and not his threes.
Taking Over in Big Games
This is an issue that can be found while watching Bucks games rather than using statistical proof. Going completely by the numbers can be deceiving because they don’t tell the full story. Last year in the Eastern Conference Finals, he was shut down in critical moments.
In the crucial game three when the Bucks led the Toronto Raptors two games to zero, Antetokounmpo fouled out and finished with 12 points while shooting 31 percent from the field. The Bucks would lose that game and it would completely change the series. Another instance was against the Los Angeles Lakers a month ago. The game was up for grabs in the fourth and it was LeBron James, not Antetokounmpo, who took over. Antetokounmpo will need to develop this killer instinct if he wants to win his first title.
The Verdict
Antetokounmpo is already on his way to being a future Hall of Famer. But a lack of help, an inability to hit three-pointers and foul shots, and choking down the stretch of big games have held him back from greatness. There is a very real chance that he will be in a different uniform when he hits free agency in 2021. The storyline will be that he can’t get it done by himself (like James in 2010) and he will form a superteam somewhere else. If he decides to stay in Milwaukee, it will be due to the excessive amount of money that they can throw at him. However, if he wants to cement his legacy, he will leave Milwaukee and go somewhere that will give him the best chance to succeed.
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