By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In a NBA-arranged conference call with media outlets from around the globe, Giannis Antetokounmpo was reminded that the league’s general managers voted him No. 1 among the 113 international players across 30 teams in 2016-17.
Antetokounmpo didn’t respond with any false modesty when the praise came his way in a question from Germany. But he kept things in perspective.
“Aw, man, Dirk Nowitzki is the best European player, for me, that’s ever played the game. He’s an unbelievable talent,” said Antetokounmpo, the native of Athens who is averaging 21.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
Last weekend, when the Bucks played at Dallas, Kidd – who won the 2011 NBA championship with Nowitzki and the Mavs – said of his young star: “There is no ceiling. It’s up to him. You don’t put a ceiling on Dirk at the age of 19 or 20. It’s wherever he takes you. And here in Dallas, we got the opportunity to see [Nowitzki] take us for a ride and no one knew where it was going to stop. Giannis is in that same boat. He has the ability to do so many different things. And just like Dirk, he wants to win.”
“The things that Dirk has done for this league and for the Dallas Mavericks, it’s unbelievable,” Antetokounmpo said. “And Coach Kidd was a teammate of Dirk, so for Jason Kidd to compare me with Dirk Nowitzki, it feels nice. It’s a nice compliment. But I’ve got to keep my head down and try doing what I do, keep working hard and get better. Because I think I’ve got a long way to do what Dirk did for the league.”
Said Antetokounmpo: “As far as the best international player, it’s just so big from the GMs. It’s a nice compliment. But man, I think I’ve got a long ways to go. I can get a lot, lot, lot better.”
How much better? Antetokounmpo admitted that he has his eye on the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award one of these seasons. So far, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named MVP while playing for the Bucks – he won three of his six MVPs while with Milwaukee.
“I feel like I can get there one day,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep working hard, try to get my team better. That’s a goal of mine. One day.”