For the longest time, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was an inefficient jump shooter, but he took some major strides in 2024-25. Antetokounmpo was very effective in the mid-range last season and proudly stated he is in the company of masters like Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan, and Devin Booker now.
"Mid-range No. 2 in the league now, don't get s*** twisted now," Antetokounmpo said. "It was me, DeRozan, KD, Devin Booker, and one other guy, I don't remember whose the other guy."
When asked about the importance of the mid-range shot, Antetokounmpo hilariously pointed out that he had won a championship by going downhill and shooting free throws. The 30-year-old later spoke about how beneficial it is to have that shot in his arsenal.
“Once you add that element to your game, very hard to be guarded," Antetokounmpo stated. "I can get to any spot I want... You gotta back off me... I made I think 46 or 47% from mid-range this year. Even if I was making those shots, you still got to back off me, because I get to the rim with defense, I shoot 70%. With defense.
"I shoot 70% at the rim with defense," Antetokounmpo added. "... And there's no one guy, there's usually two or three guys.
Antetokounmpo was once again exceptional near the rim in 2024-25, shooting 74.9% (561/749) in the restricted area. The nine-time All-Star led the NBA in both attempts and makes.
As for the topic at hand, Antetokounmpo shot 44.2% (125/283) from mid-range in 2024-25. He ranked fifth in both attempts and makes. DeRozan, Durant, Booker, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were the only players ahead of him in those categories.
Durant, Booker, and Gilgeous-Alexander all shot over 50%, so Antetokounmpo still has some ways to go before he can actually be mentioned along with them. Still, it's great to see this kind of improvement.
As for what triggered Antetokounmpo to focus on the mid-range shot, he explained his reasons last season.
“I’m in an age that I’ve realized that in order for me to be effective and still be able to help my team win games, I have to switch my game a little bit... I know I’m effective in the paint... but you take a lot of beating, now my body today feels great. I feel like I haven’t been touched which is incredible..."
"I’m literally changing my game, which gives me so much dopamine rush in my head because I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time.. it takes the beating out of me, and my teammates want me to keep on shooting them...”
That's the right approach. The notion at one point was that Antetokounmpo's game would age poorly because he was so reliant on his athleticism and had no jump shot. He needed to add the mid-ranger or the three-pointer, and has done so now.
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game for the Bucks in 2024-25. He shot 60.1% from the field and was simply unstoppable.
The Bucks, however, were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the third year in a row. There remains some doubt about Antetokounmpo's future with the franchise, as he determines whether the roster is good enough to compete for a title.
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