What a season Giannis Antetokounmpo had. The Greek Freak led the Milwaukee Bucks to the overall best record in the NBA Regular season and the Eastern Conference Finals, where they unfortunately fell to the eventual champs, the Toronto Raptors.
Stephen Varanko III has always put great value on leadership and he recognizes just how ideal of a leader Giannis has become at such a young age.
With the present crop of superstars in the league, a player would have to be extra special to get noticed. With Lebron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Steph Curry, Kawhi Leonard, and all the other top-tier athletes still dominating, Giannis Antetokounmpo has in the 2018-2019 regular season, risen above them. And what’s more surprising is that he doesn’t let any distraction get in his way, which is one of the most admirable traits of leadership.
It’s been well documented just how Giannis has emerged from poverty to become one of world basketball’s elite. There was a time when he couldn’t even afford his own shoes or a ride to the basketball games. But all these were overcome through sheer will. Instead of allowing all hindrances to weigh him down, Giannis stayed focused on the goal and molded himself into an unstoppable force of nature on the court.
And the scary thing Stephen Varanko III sees is that this young leader still has a lot of room for improvement.
While the NBA world was more or less in unison in naming Harden the most-deserving of the coveted award last season, LeBron James could have also taken it. The same case may be built for Anthony Davis of the Pelicans and the champion Warriors’ Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. But Giannis Antetokounmpo was just waiting in the corner; had he taken the Bucks deeper in the playoffs, he’d have likely entered top contention.
With the 2018-19 season starting, and with teams in the East becoming more stacked with talent (as is the case with the top-seeded, star-heavy teams like Boston and Philadelphia), it may be the year Giannis takes the individual award. After all, he is now in his prime, and he is the top offensive and defensive option in his team.
Antetokounmpo has likewise proven himself steady in the clutch, evidenced in the Bucks’ opening, away-game victory over the Hornets where he hit all-important free throws in the end-game to seal the one-point victory. He finished with 25 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists to lead his team. Giannis has definitely started the season well; if he maintains this near-triple-double performance throughout the regular season, he’d surely be a frontrunner and a solid 2019 MVP contender.
Stephen Varanko III has had an impressive list of academic, athletic, and leadership accomplishments since his high school years at Randolph Macon Academy. For more of Stephen’s writings, go to this page.
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| Image source: behindthebuckpass.com |
Stephen Varanko III has always put great value on leadership and he recognizes just how ideal of a leader Giannis has become at such a young age.
With the present crop of superstars in the league, a player would have to be extra special to get noticed. With Lebron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Steph Curry, Kawhi Leonard, and all the other top-tier athletes still dominating, Giannis Antetokounmpo has in the 2018-2019 regular season, risen above them. And what’s more surprising is that he doesn’t let any distraction get in his way, which is one of the most admirable traits of leadership.
 |
| Image source: onmilwaukee.com |
And the scary thing Stephen Varanko III sees is that this young leader still has a lot of room for improvement.
While the NBA world was more or less in unison in naming Harden the most-deserving of the coveted award last season, LeBron James could have also taken it. The same case may be built for Anthony Davis of the Pelicans and the champion Warriors’ Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. But Giannis Antetokounmpo was just waiting in the corner; had he taken the Bucks deeper in the playoffs, he’d have likely entered top contention.
With the 2018-19 season starting, and with teams in the East becoming more stacked with talent (as is the case with the top-seeded, star-heavy teams like Boston and Philadelphia), it may be the year Giannis takes the individual award. After all, he is now in his prime, and he is the top offensive and defensive option in his team.
Antetokounmpo has likewise proven himself steady in the clutch, evidenced in the Bucks’ opening, away-game victory over the Hornets where he hit all-important free throws in the end-game to seal the one-point victory. He finished with 25 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists to lead his team. Giannis has definitely started the season well; if he maintains this near-triple-double performance throughout the regular season, he’d surely be a frontrunner and a solid 2019 MVP contender.
Stephen Varanko III has had an impressive list of academic, athletic, and leadership accomplishments since his high school years at Randolph Macon Academy. For more of Stephen’s writings, go to this page.
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