“Somebody gonna knock his head off” - Charles Oakley claims that Giannis Antetokounmpo ‘wouldn’t have been a force back in the day’

Giannis Antetokounmpo was one of 76 NBA superstars who were honored by the league in this year’s All-Star festivities. In just his ninth season with the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, “The Greek Freak” was voted into the NBA’s Diamond Anniversary team.

Although he is already recognized by many as one of the best to ever do it, Antetokounmpo continues to have detractors.

Former NBA player Charles Oakley, in an episode of SLAM’s No Pump Fakes, made it clear that Giannis Antetokounmpo would struggle in the bruising 80s and 90s. “Oak” was impressed with what the two-time MVP has been showing, but isn’t buying the idea that he could also dominate in the old days.

Here’s how Charles Oakley doubted Antetokounmpo’s overpowering game would translate into an earlier NBA era:

“He doing his thing, man. I was skeptical because he couldn't make a jump shot or a free throw. But after what he did last year, he won me over... He wouldn't have been a force back in the day. He would have struggled. They would make him shoot jump shots. He wouldn't be doing no Euros to the basket and just get layups. Somebody gonna knock his head off.”

The former New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls enforcer stunned hosts Theus McBee and Ahmad K. Smith with his words. Bearing in mind that Antetokounmpo’s brute force down the blocks has been so overwhelming that the inevitable Shaquille O’Neal comparisons were bound to happen.

Granted that 80s and 90s basketball were significantly more physical and brutal than the last decade, seeing Giannis Antetokounmpo fail in that era really stretches the imagination. Oakley’s evaluation got even more ridiculous when he added:

“I'm glad he's doing what he's doing now, but he definitely wouldn’t [be a force]. He would have been coming off the bench back in the day.”

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Giannis Antetokounmpo’s resume speaks for itself

The Greek Freak played the game of his life in the championship clinching game against the Phoenix Suns in last year's NBA Finals. [Photo: Sports Illustrated]

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s resume is nearly untouchable by any era. He is a two-time MVP and could potentially add to that tally before he calls it a career. Antetokounmpo is also a former Defensive Player of the Year and a five-time All-Star. More importantly, he led a small-market team to their first championship since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won one for Milwaukee more than 50 years ago.

In many ways, Antetokounmpo’s game is just tailor-made for the rough and tumble days of the 80s and 90s. He never shies away from contact and rises to the occasion when the need arises. The Greek superstar dropped 50 points against the Phoenix Suns in the title-clinching game, which highlighted his clutch genes.

Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett is just one of many who believe that Giannis Antetokounmpo will thrive and star back in Charles Oakley's days. If there’s any current superstar in the NBA who can seamlessly go back in time, Antetokounmpo should be at the top of that list.