Giannis says winning MVP is not a priority but adds it will be a blessing if he gets it
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most low-key superstars in the NBA right now. As dominant as he is on the court, his humility off of it makes him a favorite of both fellow players and fans. However, underneath that humility lies a fiery competitive nature that drives him to win at all times—whether it's an NBA title, regular season games, or the coveted MVP trophy.
Cares about the MVP
Even though he already has two MVP trophies, the Greek Freak says he'd love to win another one. Team success, though, remains his first priority, but if ever pursuing that leads him to some more hardware, he won't mind it.
"I won't say I don't care. I want to compete. If you say I don't care, it's a lie. Do I think it's a priority for me? No. The priority for me is to get better, to help my team win a championship, to get that feeling again," Giannis said, referring to the euphoric feeling of winning an NBA title, like he experienced in 2021.
"If God can bless me with an MVP again, I'll take it," he added.
Neck-to-neck race for the Michael Jordan trophy
During any other season, Giannis might be the clear favorite to win the MVP, especially with the Milwaukee Bucks holding the best record in the league built on the strength of his stellar averages of 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. However, this season has been unlike any other in the history of the NBA, with two other players also rightfully in the chase for the Michael Jordan Trophy.
There's the Denver Nugget's giant, Nikola Jokic, who has won the MVP award for two straight seasons.
"I see one guy that helps his team win. I see a guy that understands the game of basketball, plays the game of basketball the right way. I see a guy that's very competitive, plays to win," Giannis commented about "The Joker."
The Philadelphia 76ers superstar, Joel Embiid, is also in the running for the MVP trophy.
"I see a guy that's hungry, that plays with a chip on his shoulder to help his team win games. He's tried to be available for them as much as he can. Because he had the ailments early [in his career] but now he's here and he's dominating every other night and dominating every big he plays," added Giannis of his Eastern Conference rival.