Giannis Antetokounmpo got the best of LeBron James on Friday night.
In the closing seconds of the contest between the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, Antetokounmpo forced James to commit a turnover to secure a 105-101 win for Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo relishes any opportunity to compete against James, and after the game he shared some incredibly high praise for the Lakers star.
“I think he's a blueprint for every athlete, not just basketball athlete,” Antetokounmpo said of James. “Being able to be consistent for 23 years. Available. Be a winner. Lead by example. It's incredible. And any opportunity I have to be around greatness and compete against greatness, I will always take it. I never take it for granted.
"I have the utmost respect for him and his family and the way he's carried himself for 23 years,” he added. “And as I said, I miss going against him. I think he brings the best out of me as a player, and he's one of the guys that I definitely look up to on the court and off the court."
It's hard to believe, but the matchup on Friday night was the first time that James and Antetokounmpo played against each other in a game since 2022. In all, they've now played 24 games against each other, all during the regular season.
Antetokounmpo asked James for his jersey following Milwaukee's victory on Friday night, acknowledging that future meetings between the two stars aren't guaranteed.
"You never know," Antetokounmpo said. "Might be our last game against one another."