Kevin Garnett picks former USA gold medal winner to play crucial role in helping Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bucks 

Since winning a championship in 2021, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have failed to create a similar type of success. As teams begin ramping up for the 2025 season, one Hall of Famer named a key player for them to get back in the title picture.

While on his podcast with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett shared his thoughts on the state of the Eastern Conference. When it came to the Bucks, the former MVP cited Khris Middleton as one player he is keeping a close eye on.

"I still got to see what Middleton looks like," Garnett said. "Because he is a big factor in their growth."

As the team's top players, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard will be called upon to lead the charge. However, the Bucks are going to need a healthy Middleton if they want to keep up with the other top teams in the East.

After an All-Star season in 2022, Middleton has struggled to stay on the court. Over the past two years, he's played in a total of 88 games in the regular season. The former gold medalist and champion played in 55 games in 2024 and finished with averages of 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

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Kevin Garnett doesn't feel Giannis Antetokounmpo is top player in Eastern Conference

With a resume that includes a pair of MVPs and a Defensive Player of the Year trophy, Giannis Antetokounmpo is regularly in the conversation for the league's top player. That said, Kevin Garnett doesn't see it that way.

Later on in his discussion with Paul Pierce, the two Boston Celtics legends got to debating the top stars in the Eastern Conference. Garnett quickly interjected and said that he has Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum over the Bucks superstar forward.

"You can't say that with Embiid over there, and with Jayson Tatum," Garnett said. "No, I'm not arguing that."

One of the first things Garnett brought up against Giannis Antetokounmpo was the Bucks' lack of postseason success. Last postseason, they were eliminated in the first round by the Indiana Pacers. This marked their second straight playoffs where they failed to even reach the semifinal round.

Even though Milwaukee hasn't had playoff success, that shouldn't be held against Giannis. The franchise went through a series of big changes that led to their lackluster results. First, they took a big swing by trading Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard. The Bucks then threw the league for a loop by going through a coaching change midway through the season.

From a production standpoint, Giannis should still be seen as one of the NBA's most dominant talents. Last season, he posted averages of 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.1 blocks.