If you ask the frontrunners of the 2022 NBA MVP race about it, they will all say they don't really care. Denver Nuggets star and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic is almost bored with his individual greatness, while Philadelphia 76ers stud Joel Embiid recently downplayed his MVP battle with Jokic. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is another candidate as he tries to win a third award, but he too claims he doesn't care about it.
The Greek Freak tried to make this clear in an interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic:
Are you focused at all on the MVP award?
Oh, hell no. I’ve done it. I’ve done it. I’m OK. I’m OK with myself. You know, I don’t have social media on my phone. Like I cannot follow it.
The Bucks star went on to explain that while winning MVP brought great joy, it didn't hold a candle to the feeling of finally winning a championship:
I want another championship. You know, like, the joy that I felt when I won the MVP was unbelievable. I was with my family. I wish my (late) Dad was there. That was an unbelievable feeling. Grateful. But the joy that I felt when I won a championship, there’s no comparing. There’s no comparing (an MVP) to the joy of being on the bus and seeing 200,000 people celebrating — White, Black, Hispanic, or whatever the case may be. Everybody was celebrating, and you’re giving everybody that joy. There were people that had never seen a championship for 50 years. (They’d say), ‘The last time I saw the championship, I was two years old.’ You know? That’s a different type of joy. It’s not just me being able to win the award. The whole city won an award. That’s what I want, you know? And hopefully, God can bless me and give me that. I’ll do whatever I can do to do it.
The Bucks phenom could very well win another MVP and another championship, but it's clear which one he's focused on. While the individual accolades are nice to have, it's that team glory that matters above everything else.
Giannis and the Bucks have had a somewhat uneven season, sitting at 44-27 and not being quite as dominant as in recent years thanks to a number of health issues. But as long as Milwaukee has Giannis and somewhat decent health heading into the playoffs, there's a legitimate chance to repeat. That's ultimately what matters most to the Greek star, not a third MVP.
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