Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo discusses the example that Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James set for the younger players.
Not one to shy away from praising the abilities of his NBA brethren, Milwaukee Bucks centerpiece Giannis Antetokounmpo believes Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is the “absolute example” for basketball players, per Eurohoops’ George Efkarpidis.
“Whoever wants to follow this example can do it,” Giannis says of LeBron’s career. “If someone does not, he will stay behind.”
“For me, he is the absolute example, and I just hope to stay healthy and follow in his footsteps and get to a point where when I look back, I would be absolutely proud of what I have achieved in the NBA.”
Antetokounmpo reveals that he relayed the message to the king himself prior to the Bucks matchup against the Lakers on Thursday.
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“When we talked before the game, I told him that: You have a great trajectory, for sure, you have even more years coming, but you are already an example for many, and for me, you are the absolute example. Because you have played for 20 years, for 20 great years, you are constantly among the best of the NBA.”
When the LeBron James Era is over in the NBA, it’ll be difficult to find a player that can truly replace the all-time scoring leader as the face of the league.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), 2020 Rookie of the Year Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies), two-time All-Star Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans), and four-time All-Star Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) are among the most likely candidates.
However, when discussing impact, character and the ability to defy expectations, there may be no option that’s better than Giannis.
All the 10-year veteran has to do is last for another decade, then he may be the player that others are looking emulate as the supreme example of what an NBA career is supposed to look like.
