The Milwaukee Bucks’ hotshot player Giannis Antetokounmpo is no stranger to winning awards in basketball, but this latest one is his most significant–historic–yet.
For the second straight year, he was voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. It was also like a twinkill season for the 25-year-old as he also got the nod as Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY).
His historic accomplishment thus placed him in good company where he joins illustrious names such as Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon, only the two other players who have won both awards in the same season.
Antetokounmpo, born in Athens, Greece to Nigerian immigrant parents, was naturally ecstatic when his name was announced as MVP winner and rejoiced as he was with his family in Greece.
The voting went Antetokounmpo’s way where he got 85 votes out of the possible 101 from the voting panel to run away with the award.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, a familiar figure in the MVP voting the past several seasons, finished second. James Harden of the Houston Rockets, a perennial Top 3 finisher, was third.
His monster numbers say it all. Antetokounmpo averaged eye-popping stats of 29.6 points, hauled down 13.7 rebounds, dished 5.8 assists, 1.04 steals and 1.02 blocks, all in only 30.9 minutes of playing time while averaging 54.7% in field goals.
Though the Bucks collared the NBA’s best record this season with Antetokounmpo’s MVP performance, it would have been really great if the MVP award came with an NBA title.
Sadly, they were ousted from the playoffs by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals in just five games.
(Photo credit: NYTimes.com via Stacy Revere/Getty Images)