Giannis Antetokounmpo says the two seasons when he won the MVP were his worst seasons

It's a little-known fact that Giannis Antetokounmpo considers his two MVP seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks to be his worst.

© Michael Sears, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is a man who’s highly critical of himself. So much so that he called the two seasons—2019 and 2020—when he won the coveted Most Valuable Player award his worst seasons during that said stretch.

Back-to-back MVPs

Giannis is one of the most authentic players in the NBA right now, eager to share his candid thoughts with the media. However, it may be tough to get a read on his critical assessment of the two seasons when he won the MVP trophy.

"Can I say this? Two of the MVPs I won in the last five years, those were my two worst seasons," Antetokounmpo said. "Go pull up the stats.”

In those two seasons, the Greek Freak averaged 28.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. He was also menacing on defense, averaging 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. The only wrinkles to his game in those two seasons were his turnovers, as he coughed the ball up 3.5 times per match.

“But it doesn't even matter. I've tried to avoid this conversation at all costs. I don't ever want to drive a narrative and have my kids seeing their father whining about an award because, at the end of the day, it's all a part of history. I don't want to win that way."

Break through the narrative

Giannis is as resilient as he is determined to win both the MVP award and the NBA championship this season. He remembers all too well the struggles he and the Bucks went through in the NBA bubble back in 2020 when they lost to the Miami Heat, 4-1, in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Playing with a sprained ankle, Giannis gave it all he had and in the offseason, signed a massive extension with the Bucks. The very next season, he led the Bucks to the NBA title with a Finals victory over the Phoenix Suns.

“I told you I see a wall, and I go right through it. What happened next year? There was a wall, and I went right through it. We won the championship. And now there's this wall that is called the narrative of an MVP. I'm going to go right through that wall too.”