Giannis Antetokounmpo says he will be a top 10 player ever

Is this even possible, with 20 names who may already belong?

Oct 8, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (7) reacts after scoring against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is no question that Giannis Antetokounmpo has been one of the top players of the 21st century and one of the best of all time, which is not bad for someone who fell outside of the lottery.

He said at a basketball camp for kids that believes he’s cracked the top 20, which is reasonable considering his two most valuable player trophies and a championship, yet he thinks he can rise all the way to the top 10.

Woah. 

Giannis:

“I wasn't a top pick. I wasn't Rookie of the Year. But I'll tell you one thing, I'm top 20 of all time. I'm gonna get top 10.”

(via Giannis Antetokounmpo/YT) pic.twitter.com/fFiBFnKK8s

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 8, 2026

In fairness to him, he said the part about top 10 when a kid mentioned it, and he said he wasn’t there yet.

The National Basketball League and Basketball Association of America merged in 1949, creating the NBA. A long list of great ballers has followed and unfortunately, some do not get fair recognition or are just forgotten as the decades pass. 

Nothing is impossible, especially for someone who is still in his prime and arguably has done more than Dirk Nowitzki and Karl Malone, but achieving Antetokounmpo’s wishes would take stacking more championships, setting new records with the Miami Heat and having big-time moments -- something on par with Magic Johnson's baby sky hook against the Celtics in Game 4 of the 1987 Finals.

Crossing Hall-of-Fame territory into the pro basketball’s most exclusive club will open the door further for comparisons with the all-time greats as well, which it seems has annoyed some active players through the years. 

It’s possible he’s even closer than people want to give him credit for. Consider how LeBron James was put highly on a lot of all-time lists by observers while he was still with the Heat, yet the knock for not having him higher was that he didn’t have enough rings. Now that he's got four, he easily makes a case for being in the top five. 

May 4, 2018; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Former NBA player Hakeem Olajuwon arrives at Vivint Smart Home Arena prior to game three of the second round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs between the Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Houston legends in the way

For Antetokounmpo to get there, he would also have to make a good-enough case that he’s surpassed the greats like Hakeem Olajuwon, who was the best player in the league not named Michael Jordan for some time, Jerry West, who scored 29,649 points on hard rims in the regular season and playoffs, and Moses Malone who is the only MVP to win the award in two straight years while on separate teams.

Those three were great, but they are still a tier below some of the legends, and one could argue that Olajuwon and Malone, at their peak, were tougher to guard than Antetokounmpo.  

At this stage in his career, Antetokounmpo has at least four excllent years left to move up the all-time rankings. He's a merciless scorer with great rebounding and passing chops, so he is going to continue to put up wild numbers. Disrespect was not his intention. He’s an ambitious baller and his goal was to put the public on notice -- time will tell if he gets there.