When the loudest voice on First Take dismisses a player of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s caliber as an “underachiever,” it demands scrutiny. Stephen A.’s argument, that elite regular-season finishes haven’t equaled deep postseason runs, is a narrow lens that discounts the full breadth of what Giannis has accomplished.
In reality, the Greek Freak’s career is a storybook of record-breaking performances, accolades across both ends of the floor, and a transformative impact that extends beyond the statsheet. From climbing out of nowhere to becoming a global superstar, to capturing back-to-back MVPs and an NBA title, Giannis has checked virtually every box.
He’s rewritten the record books (like leading career stats across five statistical categories), dominated defensively, elevated a franchise, and evolved his game year after year. The two-time MVP and former NBA champion has also overcome the obstacles in his way to have one of the greatest resumes ever. Let's dive into the five reasons why Giannis Antetokounmpo has not underachieved in his career by any means.
1. Winning An NBA Title In A Small Market
Giannis Antetokounmpo ended a half-century championship drought in Milwaukee, delivering the franchise’s first title since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971. What made this victory even more historic was his Game 6 performance: a historic 50-point, 14-rebound, 5-block masterpiece to close out the Suns, setting the record for the highest-scoring close-out Finals game in NBA history.
Rather than leverage a pre-built superteam like today’s trendsetters, Giannis achieved this feat with the roster Milwaukee assembled around him. His path included beating a prime Kevin Durant-led Brooklyn Nets squad and rallying past a 0–2 deficit to sweep Phoenix, reminding fans of franchise upsets like Dirk Nowitzki’s Mavericks. It wasn’t easy. It was earned. Giannis did it the hard way, and he deserves far more credit than most other superstars.
By comparison, Kevin Durant’s rings with the Warriors are notable, but Giannis’s small-market title weighs heavier. If he’d been placed alongside marquee free agents in Los Angeles or Brooklyn, for example, his accolades would seem inevitable.
Sure, he doesn't have as many rings as Stephen Curry, but he never had Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala by his side. He also never had a prime Anthony Davis like LeBron James did, or a stacked roster like the Celtics had last year. Instead, he defied expectations in Milwaukee, mirroring Dirk, and in doing so, cemented his legacy as a champion who built greatness in a place without built-in advantages.
2. Staying Loyal Despite Having A Solid But Unspectacular Supporting Cast
Since joining forces with Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, his only consistent All-Stars during the team's prime years, Giannis has carried Milwaukee through fluctuating surrounding talent. Damian Lillard’s more recent arrival was derailed by frustrations of being in Milwaukee and later an Achilles injury, Brook Lopez has aged out of his prime, and role-player additions have often failed to sustain momentum.
Even with that level of support, Giannis guided the Bucks to three No. 1 seeds and three No. 3 seeds in the Eastern Conference. His ability to stay elite under those conditions is a testament to how he has refused to underachieve.
Had he demanded trades or departed for greener pastures, his legacy might still be questioned. Instead, Giannis remained, repeatedly lifting a thin roster into relevance. That type of commitment is rare and valuable, and almost unheard-of among peak superstars in today’s era.
That loyalty wasn’t smoke and mirrors, either, because it drove results. Yet, offseason headlines continue to ask how Milwaukee can keep up with more stacked opponents. The answer remains clear: as long as Giannis is willing to stay, he keeps the Bucks competitive, year in and year out.
3. One Of Three NBA Players To Win MVP And DPOY - Joining Michael Jordan And Hakeem Olajuwon
In the 2019-20 season, Giannis joined the legendary elite of Michael Jordan (1988) and Hakeem Olajuwon (1994) by winning both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, one of the most exclusive clubs in NBA history. That year, he posted 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and averages of 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game, proof that he dominated on both ends.
This feat represents more than individual accolades; it signals his total impact on winning. A two-way force who can score at will and anchor defense is a rarity. Until recently, only the likes of Jordan and Olajuwon could stake such a claim, and Giannis joined them at a time in history where positional versatility is tougher to dominate on both ends.
Few modern players can boast such balanced excellence. It isn’t enough to have offense or defense; Giannis transcends both in the same season. That dual dominance alone vaporizes the notion of underachievement.
4. Easily One Of The Greatest Two-Way Players In NBA History
Giannis combines rare physical gifts with an unprecedented blend of offensive and defensive prowess. Offensively, he’s a scoring machine, inside and out, while defensively, he’s elite-level rim protection and multi-positional versatility. Few can match his scale: perhaps Kareem, Jordan, Kobe, Kawhi, Duncan, or Garnett, but Giannis is a modern equal.
Consider his ability to switch defensive assignments, from point guards to centers, and protect the rim against elite bigs. Consider his offensive evolution from dunker to scorer who can average over 30 PPG on over 60% true shooting. That comprehensive two-way game puts him in deep conversation with the legends.
Giannis may not have the polished mid-range game of historic greats, but his unique physical profile, combined with consistent growth in skills and court IQ, makes him arguably among the top two-way players ever. His two-way dominance is part of his basketball DNA, and that erodes the argument that Giannis has "only won one NBA championship".
5. Resume Includes A Host Of Record-Breaking Moments
Giannis’s list of records is beyond impressive. He holds the most career double-doubles in Bucks history, surpassing Kareem with at least 428 (currently has 462). He became the Bucks’ all-time leader in rebounds (8,530), points (20,538), assists (4,288), blocks (1,064), field goals (7,525), and triple-doubles (56), joining a rare franchise quadruple-club.
No player since the NBA-ABA merger has recorded a 35+ point, 15+ rebound, and 20+ assist game, Giannis did. He’s also the only player in NBA history to finish in the top-20 in all five major stat categories, points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, in a single season, and he did it in 2016-17.
Add to that: the only player to average 30+ PPG and 60%+ FG in a season, the highest-scoring close-out Finals game (50 pts), and 200+ PTS, 100+ REB, 50+ AST in a playoff series, all Giannis-firsts.
Giannis consistently rewrote Milwaukee’s record books, shattering longstanding Kareem milestones in rebounds, scoring, double-doubles, and many other stats. His statistical footprint for the Bucks is not only rare, it’s unprecedented.
These records are more proof that Giannis didn’t just meet expectations, he redefined them. Giannis is one of basketball’s all-time greats, and even if Stephen A. Smith made that clear before making his original point, saying he underachieved is a flat-out incorrect statement.
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