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Giannis says voters' fatigue working against him in the chase for third MVP - "Mariah Riddlesprigger, my significant other, is tired of me too"

Giannis knows the odds are stacked against him in the race for this season's MVP award.
Matthew Dugandzic|
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Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has made it clear in recent interviews that he’s not shying away from the chase for a third Most Valuable Player award. In fact, he’s gone on record as saying he wants to win the Michael Jordan trophy this season. However, he’s also aware that the voters might be getting fatigued with his dominance, which may result in votes not going his way.

"Maybe people are just tired of me. And look, I'll be tired of myself too. I'm not going to lie," Antetokounmpo said in an interview with Bleacher Report. "Mariah (Riddlesprigger), my significant other, is tired of me too. But at the end of the day, I will try to be consistent, I will try to be as dominant as I can, and I will try to help my team be successful for as many years as I can and in as many years as my legs allow me to be.”

Another spectacular season

The Greek Freak already has two MVP trophies to his name—winning back-to-back in 2019 and 2020—and has been a dominant force in the NBA ever since his breakout season in 2016-2017. This season, he’s in the conversation for another MVP award after averaging 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game and leading the Bucks to the best record in the NBA.

However, Giannis added he’s never going to campaign for himself, nor will he discredit the work his fellow MVP contenders—Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid—have done this season.

"Do I want a third MVP? Hell f--king yeah, I want a third one. I am extremely competitive. I try to make my team successful. That's what I get paid for. That's what I'm here for. I'm never going to be one who discredits anybody else's work. That's not who I am as a person. And I will never beg for an MVP award that I believe I deserve. I'm very proud that I'm able to play at an MVP level because that means I'm making my team very successful. That's the goal."

Team success comes first

As much as Giannis wants to win another MVP trophy, he says it will have to come in the flow of the team’s pursuit for another championship—a feat that the Bucks are poised to do with their talented and veteran-laden roster.

"I'm extremely blessed to have two MVPs," Giannis said. "I could pull out a lot of facts and data to make a case for myself on why I feel people are discrediting my game, but I'm here to win a championship, and that goal will never change.”

"I really believe from the bottom of my heart that eventually, I'll get another one. Until then, I'm trying to get that second ring."

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.