Giannis Antetokounmpo has made huge strides since breaking into the NBA after playing in his native Greece to start his professional career. During his four years in the league, head coach Jason Kidd has watched his growth from a long-limbed freak of nature to an all-around basketball player, terrorizing every team he's matching up against at any particular night.
“For him, from where we started and where we are to the present day, I think it just speaks volumes of his patience, his work ethic and his trust in us and helping him get to where he wants to go. And he's just at the beginning of that, so it's just remarkable watching him,” said Kidd, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell. “The things that he can do now that he couldn't do two years ago.”
The Greek Freak has started this season by leading the NBA in scoring while maintaining his usual all-around floor game that has made him such an envied talent.
Article Continues BelowNow by far considered the Milwaukee Bucks' talisman of the future, Antetokounmpo has taken on a leadership role, especially with the absence of Jabari Parker, who is sidelined with a second ACL tear stemming from the latter part of last season.
The 6-foot-11 forward is averaging 33.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and a block per game through what is bound to be yet another breakout season after winning the Most Improved Player award in 2016-17.