The 2017-18 NBA season is over one week old. Any conclusion fans might want to rationalize could be tied to a small sample size, and we need to wait AT LEAST for two or three more weeks to get a real feeling about what this season might be all about. Yes, Brooklyn Nets, I’m talking to you.
However, there is one thing that appears not likely to change during the course of the entire regular season, and that’s the presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo as a bonafide MVP candidate. Or should we say favorite? He was already a candidate last season when he won the Most Improved Player Of The Year Award. But what he has done this season is surpassing even the most positive expectations.
Through four games, Antetokounmpo is posting some crazy numbers. The 22-year-old do-it-all forward averages a robust 36.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.0 block per game. He ranks first in points, 11th in rebounds and fifth in steals per game. He also sits just outside the Top 20 in assists and blocks, but shouldn’t have problems to climb towards the top as the season progresses.
What’s even crazier is the fact that he is shooting 65,9% from the field. And he manages to stand out despite his lack of a reliable three-point shot. That’s almost unthinkable considering how three-point driven has been the league in recent years. But Antetokounmpo is here to make history.
He already made history last season, when he finished in the Top 20 of points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals per game. Aside from leading the Bucks in all of those categories, he was the first player IN NBA HISTORY to accomplish that feat. But The Greek Freak is not done yet. He wants more, and he is not going to stop until becoming the best player in the league.
Kevin Durant already praised him and said he could be “the best player ever” if his progression is steady. And if we look at his past numbers, we can see Antetokounmpo has always improved in every single stat:
2013-2014: 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 blocks, 0.8 steals
2014-2015: 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.0 blocks, 0.9 steals
2015-2016: 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 blocks, 1.2 steals
2016-2017: 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.9 blocks, 1.6 steals
2017-2018: 36.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.0 blocks, 2.3 steals
Is there any way to call this rather than impressive? What’s scary is that he is only 22 years old. Basically, Antetokounmpo still has AT LEAST three or four more years before even entering his prime. Assuming his projection remains steady – something that’s far from certain in any sport – we might be looking at a yearly triple-double threat like Russell Westbrook last year, or like Oscar Robertson in the past.
Fans, pundits and experts alike can sit, relax, and enjoy. There is a big change we are witnessing history right in front of our eyes. And his incredible rise this season has him sitting comfortably at the top of the MV¨P race. It’s not even close.