Bucks Zone

Matt Barnes picks his top five and explains why Giannis Antetokounmpo is better than Kevin Durant

Giannis Antetokounmpo has got the better of Kevin Durant in the recent battles.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

Former NBA player Matt Barnes recently appeared on 'Club Shay Shay' – a show hosted by sports analyst Shannon Sharpe. The pair spoke about a wide range of topics, but ranking players is always the most exciting, and Barnes did not disappoint. Although he left some notable names like Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic out, his top 5 list is solid.

"Giannis, KD, Steph, LeBron, and Embiid." Barnes named his list. "And LeBron has only slid down there because he's older, not his body of work. Still the best player in the world - one of the greatest players to ever play the game."

The rise of the Greek freak

Giannis Antetokounmpo finds himself on the top of Matt Barnes' list because of his commitment to greatness. He entered the league as a skinny guy with raw talent, but his determination set him apart. Giannis has done the work and earned many honors, even before completing ten seasons in the NBA.

"Giannis is incredible," Barnes added. "Giannis is the one superstar you see that every single year he comes back better, on a different aspect."

Why Giannis over KD?

Kevin Durant has been considered among the best players throughout his whole career, mostly second behind LeBron James. However, being behind Antetokounmpo has more to do with the Greek national's ability to be exceptional on both ends of the floor.

"The only reason I gave Giannis the edge is because of the defensive side of the game. I mean, if you look at KD's efficiency and how amazing he is on the offensive end," Barnes explained. "Giannis may not be as efficient, but he's still putting up monster numbers on the offensive end, but then he's also a defensive monster too."

"I just think Giannis is a better defender, so I have to give Giannis that nod and Giannis is younger too," he added.

Since leaving the Golden State Warriors, Durant has added more to his game but has yet to be able to go deep into the playoffs. On the other hand, the Milwaukee Bucks star won the title in 2021 and has remained at the top – despite his failure to progress against the Celtics last season.

Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.