4 Players Who Are Changing the NBA As We Know It
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Standing 6'11" and weighing in at 222 pounds, Antetokounmpo is a physical specimen. He has the height and length to annoy opposing players, but he also has the athleticism to be a playmaker and do just about anything on the court.
What's even crazier is that, after being drafted 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013, the Greek Freak hit a growth spurt. He sprouted from 6'9" to 6'11" in the matter of about nine months, from the time he was drafted to the start of his second year. Yeah, he's that much of a freak.
More than two years later, now at 22 years old, Antetokounmpo is in his fourth season out of Athens and is enjoying a true breakout season in the league. This offseason, he officially shifted to point guard after playing multiple positions (mainly small forward) in 2015-16.
Subsequently, Giannis is playing with a 28.9% usage rate, which is 6.6 percentage points higher than it was a year ago.
His new role has allowed him to put together averages of 23.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.8 steals in 34.9 minutes a game. Like his name, that's a mouthful. Antetokounmpo fills up the stat sheet on a nightly basis and does anything and everything his team asks him to do in order to get the job done. He's good for .232 win shares per 48 on the year, at the end of the day.
In doing so, he is placing his name among a couple other very memorable ones. Two, to be exact.
| Player | Season | PPG | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1975-76 | 27.7 | 16.9 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 1.5 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1978-79 | 23.8 | 12.8 | 5.4 | 4.0 | 1.0 |
| Kevin Garnett | 2001-02 | 21.2 | 12.1 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 1.2 |
| Kevin Garnett | 2002-03 | 23.0 | 13.4 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
| Kevin Garnett | 2004-05 | 22.2 | 13.5 | 5.7 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 2016-17 | 23.7 | 8.8 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
According to Basketball Reference, this is a comprehensive list of individual seasons (since 1946-47) in which a player, at 6'11" or taller, has averaged at least 20 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block and 1 steal per game. If we were to take that one step further and require at least two blocks per game as a qualifier, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would be the only other play to achieve such a productive season at his height.
That's truly how unique of a season the Freak is having. And again, remember, he's only 22 years old! Garnett was at least 25 in his three outstanding seasons, and Kareem was at least 28.
Can you imagine what Antetokounmpo is capable of going forward? If you can imagine it, he can probably do it. The possibilities are endless, especially if he continues to improve his three-point shot. The company he keeps would suggest that he has quite an NBA career ahead of him.
