Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Weighs in on NBA GOAT Debate

Apr 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) gets ready for  game four of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Apr 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) gets ready for game four of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
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Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had some free time on Saturday night and took time out of his evening to answer questions from fans, particularly regarding one of the more controversial topics.

Antetokounmpo offered his input on the greatest NBA player of all time debate that regularly causes a stir.

According to the Greek Freak, the greatest player of all time is either Michael Jordan or LeBron James, opting for a neutral position instead of taking a side in the debate like so many people do.

The consensus top two of all time are Jordan and James, given their lengthy and accomplished careers and their impact on basketball culture as well.

Antetokounmpo chose to avoid the fury of passionate James fans who defend him when the topic of G.O.A.T. is mentioned. The same goes for Jordan, who sees a flurry of typically older basketball fans reminiscing about how special he was while playing for the Chicago Bulls.

It is worth noting that even though the Bucks star refused to take a clear stance, he only offered that those two are at the top "for now," likely hinting at his hope to enter the conversation once it is all said and done.

Antetokounmpo does not have the longevity of James so far in his career, nor does he have multiple NBA championships to hang his hat on like Jordan.

What Antetokounmpo does have is a run as one of the best players in the NBA spanning several years now, which has seen him fetch two MVP awards, a defensive player of the year award, nine All-Star nominations, eight All-NBA spots, and five appearances on the All-Defensive team as well.

These regular season accomplishments, paired with a 2021 NBA Championship and Finals MVP, are enough to enter the top 20 all-time conversation already. However, to elevate his resume to G.O.A.T status, he will need more championships, which seems unlikely if he stays a Buck for the rest of his career.

More Milwaukee Bucks News:

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Wild Trade Proposal Has Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Landing With Warriors

For more news and notes about the Milwaukee Bucks, head on over to Milwaukee Bucks on SI.


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Nelson Espinal
NELSON ESPINAL

Nelson Espinal lives and breathes sports. Avidly following of everything ranging from motorsports to Mixed Martial Arts to tennis, he is connected with most of the sports world at all times. His dream of writing about sports started at 16 years of age, writing for a Lakers fans blog, and his passions for sports writing has grown since. He has his Bachelor's degree in Political Science, and a minor in writing literature from the University of California, San Diego.