“I wanted to be an NBA player, I never wanted to be one of the best”- Giannis Antetokounmpo opens up on his journey, says his work ethic is what propelled him to greatness

Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo already has the resume of an all-time great, despite being only 27 years old. Antetokounmpo is a six-time All-Star, two-time MVP, champion, finals MVP and a Defensive Player of the Year.

Antetokounmpo is now seen by the majority of fans as the clear-cut best player in the league. However, according to Antetokounmpo, he never wanted or expected to be in this position.

During a recent interview with Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke about his work ethic and career progression. At one point in the interview, Antetokounmpo addressed whether he ever believed he'd be the face of the NBA league:

“They ask, ‘Did you believe you’d be what you are today?’ I don’t. And there’s the other question, ‘Did you want to be what you are today?’ And I never intended to be what I am today.

"I wanted to be a great basketball player. I never wanted to be the best player. I said I wanted to be an NBA player, I never wanted to be one of the best.”

Antetokounmpo later added how shocked he was when he realized how far his hard work had gotten him:

“But I worked extremely hard. So hard that all of a sudden I got to this point and I was like, ‘Holy s—, what the f—'s going on?’ I’m at the top of this mountain.”

If Antetokounmpo retires now, he would already be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. The crazy thing is, he may not even be in his prime yet as he will only be turning 28 in December. So it will be fascinating to see just how much further Antetokounmpo can ascend up in the all-time rankings before his career is over.

For The Athletic’s full interview with Giannis Antetokounmpo, click here.

What can be expected from Giannis Antetokounmpo this season?

Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In terms of expectations for Giannis Antetokounmpo this season, fans can expect another MVP-caliber campaign. Most betting sites have the consensus of the top-three players to win the 2022-2023 MVP. They include Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid and Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo suffered from voter fatigue after winning back-to-back MVPs in 2019 and 2020. But now he is positioned for a redemption narrative following last season’s disappointing Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics in the second round.

Over the past five seasons, Antetokounmpo averaged 28.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.3 blocks on 55.6% shooting. He will likely put up similar numbers or better this season.

The Milwaukee Bucks will also likely finish in the top three in the Eastern Conference again. If both of these things happen then there’s no reason why Giannis Antetokounmpo couldn't win his third MVP this season.