Giannis Antetokounmpo's 5 best seasons in the NBA based on player efficiency rating

Giannis Antetokounmpo has become a force to reckon with in the league. The five-time NBA All-Star has just come off a championship season. The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns in a six-game series to bring the franchise its second championship, 50 years apart. The franchise and the city of Milwaukee rejoiced at the championship parade.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the driving force behind the Bucks’ recent run of success. Over the last three seasons, he has averaged 28.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists and has put up good defensive numbers as well. In the current 2021-22 season, with the addition of a jumper to his repertoire, he has become even more of a threat.

Within the first 17 games of the season, his player efficiency rating is at a high 30.3, which is the second highest in the league. Let’s take a look at his five best seasons in terms of player efficiency rating.

#5 2016-17 – 26.1

The Milwaukee Bucks finished the 2016-17 season sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. Giannis Antetokounmpo, at age 22, made his first ever appearance in the NBA All-Star game. The Greek Freak finished the regular season with 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. He led the Bucks in all three categories. Subsequently, he registered a player efficiency rating of 26.1 for the season, ranked 10th among all players.

By bagging the Most Improved Player award in 2017, Giannis Antetokounmpo became the first player in Bucks history to receive the honor. The Milwaukee Bucks could not get past the determined Toronto Raptors in the playoffs, losing the series 4-2.

#4 2017-18 – 27.3

In the 2017-18 season, Giannis Antetokounmpo continued improving his game. He logged a season-high 44 points in just the third game, showing the effort he put in during the off-season. Giannis averaged a double-double of 26.9 points and 10 rebounds, lacing up for 75 games in the season. He was fifth best in the league with a player efficiency rating of 27.3 through the regular season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks finished the season in the 7th position of the Eastern Conference standings, with a 44-38 record. They battled hard against the Boston Celtics in the first round but after 7 games, the series ended in favor of the Celtics. Terry Rozier, Al Horford and Jayson Tatum put up a combined 72 points in the victory.

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#3 2020-21 – 29.2

In the shortened 2020-21 season, Giannis Antetokounmpo geared up for 61 out of 72 games. Leading the Milwaukee Bucks to 46 wins, Giannis averaged 28.1 points, 11 rebounds and 5.9 assists. In the regular season, he was on a scoring outburst, recording 30 points or more in 25 games. Giannis ranked third in the league with a 29.2 player efficiency rating.

Giannis was perfect from the field in the season’s All-Star Game, making all of his 16 attempts. He was drafted on Team Lebron and scored a team-high 35 points, staking his claim on the 2021 All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.

The Milwaukee Bucks were crowned NBA Champions in 2020-21 after beating the in-form Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals. Coming back from a 2-0 deficit, Giannis averaged 37.3 points and 12.5 rebounds in the last four games. The Phoenix Suns could not come up with a solution for the troublesome Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was also awarded the NBA Finals MVP.

#2 2018-19 – 30.9

Ever since Giannis Antetokounmpo entered the league, he has been imrpoving exponentially. In the 2018-19 season, he led the league in player efficiency rating, at 30.9. The Greek Freak played 72 games in the regular season, averaging 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists. The Milwaukee Bucks, coached by Mike Budenholzer, won 60 games to take the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Giannis Antetokounmpo willed the Bucks to that status and as a result was named the Most Valuable Player.

In the playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks reached the penultimate round, losing just one game along the way. They faced the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals and gave away a 2-0 lead, bringing an end to their campaign in the most disappointing manner. The Raptors won the series 4-2.

#1 2019-20 – 31.9

The 2019-20 season was another landmark season in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s career. He helped the Milwaukee Bucks secure the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings, logging 56 wins. Giannis Antetokounmpo contributed 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game during the regular season. He was named the league’s Most Valuable Player, becoming the 12th player to secure the award in back-to-back seasons. Giannis Antetokounmpo added to his accolades with the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year award. His career-best player efficiency rating of 31.9 was also the highest in the league in the 2019-20 season.

In the 2020 bubble playoffs with a knee injury, Giannis Antetokounmpo was unable to get past the Miami Heat. In the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, the defensively strong Miami Heat came up with their best team performance. The Milwaukee Bucks lost the series 4-1, exiting the bubble in just the second round.