SI

Giannis Antetokounmpo: 'Kobe Bryant Thinks I Can Do This?'

Kobe Bryant challenged the "Greek Freak" to win MVP back in 2017 and then to win an NBA championship in 2019.

Madeline Coleman

Giannis Antetokounmpo: 'Kobe Bryant Thinks I Can Do This?'
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 'Kobe Bryant Thinks I Can Do This?' /

Giannis Antetokounmpo is Mamba approved. 

Late NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant challenged the "Greek Freak" to win MVP back in 2017 and then to win an NBA championship in 2019. Now, the young star from Athens, Greece is an NBA champion and Finals MVP.

"This started almost like a joke at first," Antetokounmpo said in his press conference after Milwaukee's NBA Finals championship. "It was, I think, a Nike ad, and he was sending a challenge to players...I was like, 'Yeah, let me just shoot my shot.'" 

On August 24, 2017, Antetokounmpo tweeted at the NBA legend, saying, "Still waiting for my challenge..@kobebryant." Bryant responded to Antetokounmpo with a single acronym—MVP. 

"At first, I was like joking. I didn't even think he was going to respond to me," Antetokounmpo said. "But when he did, he made me believe. I'm like, 'Kobe Bryant thinks I can do this? I can play in the high level and lead my team and win MVP?'

"I had to do it. I had to work hard. Not necessarily let him down. I had to work hard because people believed that I can do it."

Antetokounmpo won his first NBA MVP honor after the 2018-19 season, prompting Bryant to tweet at the rising star again but with a new challenge. 

"My man.... M.V.P. Greatness. Next up: Championship. #MambaMentality"

Antetokounmpo repeated the MVP honors the following season, and while Nikola Jokić received the award for the 2020-21 campaign, the Bucks star made a historic NBA Finals run. 

On Tuesday night, he became the first player to tally 40 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in a playoff game since Shaquille O'Neal in 2001, per ESPN Stats & Info. The forward ended the night with 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.

And, Antetokounmpo is just the seventh player to have a 50-point game in the Finals. But the cherry on top? He was named Finals MVP.

"That's the thing. I'm a people pleaser," the forward said. "I don't like letting people down. When I signed with the city of Milwaukee, that's the main reason I signed. Because I didn't want to let people down and think that I don't work extremely hard for them, which I do.

"Being able to accomplish those things in this period of time, it's crazy. It's unreal." 

Get SI’s Milwaukee Bucks NBA Championship Commemorative Issue

More NBA Finals News: 

Published
Madeline Coleman
MADELINE COLEMAN

Home/NBA