Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to grind from beyond the arc

Giannis Antetokounmpo stated that he’s been working hard on his 3-point jump shot and feels good about it during the Bucks’ press conference on Tuesday.

In what’s been a bizarre 2019-20 NBA season, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been absolutely spectacular so far. After leading his team to the best record in the league before the stoppage, the four-time All-Star and reigning MVP will now look to pick up right where he left off as the Bucks prepare to pursue their second championship in franchise history.

Giannis has identified himself as the clear frontrunner to become the back-to-back award recipient of the MVP honor this season and will also be in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year. He has dominated every aspect of the court this year with averages of 29.6 points (career-high), 13.7 rebounds (another career-high), 5.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks on only 30.9 minutes per game.

The crazy part is that Giannis is still only 25 years old, so he still has plenty of room for improvement. As of now, he seems to be focusing on improving his 3-point jump shot.

More from Hoops Habit

• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
• NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers

During the Bucks’ press conference on Tuesday, Giannis talked to the media about where his current mindset was on his 3-point shooting.

When ESPN’s Rachel Nichols asked Giannis Antetokounmpo about whether it’s more mentally or physically when working on 3-point shooting, Antetokounmpo responded, “After a point, the way you work and work and work for years, it gets now mental. You just got to shoot the ball and when you miss, shoot it again. For me, I think right now, it’s just all mental. It’s all mental. Once I decide that’s okay, I’m going to start shooting it. That’s the type of player I am, and I work hard on it. I work hard on it every day.” He continued, “I think I’m in a good place right now.”

Throughout the season, Giannis has currently made 83 out of 271 attempts from 3-point range, equaling out to an average of 30.6 percent. It may not be that impressive, but at least he’s improved from last season when he averaged an atrocious 25.6 percent from beyond the arc. He also has a better 3-point percentage than other stars such as Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, and Russell Westbrook at the moment.

It’s doubtful that anyone expected Giannis to average a career-high 1.5 made 3’s per game this season since his previous career-high was 0.7 per game. To his credit, the effort and determination that he’s expressed in order to expand his range appear to be paying off.

3-point shooting is the final missing piece

Giannis has always been known as a dominant player in the paint due to the combination of his length, athleticism, explosiveness, and craftiness around the rim, but he’s recently been putting work into his 3-point shooting with help from the coaching staff and his sharp-shooting teammate Kyle Korver. Although his 3-point jump shot has been inconsistent in the past, he’s slowly progressing with both his form and execution during practice and individual workouts.

https://twitter.com/Rachel__Nichols/status/1285740448246628352?s=20

If Giannis Antetokounmpo can consistently connect on attempts from beyond the arc, the entire league would be put on notice. He’s already at an MVP level without an efficient jump shot, so becoming a threat from 3-point land could take his game to the highest of levels and arguably the best player in the world if he isn’t already.

Needless to say, Giannis’ main priority is winning a championship and adding a consistent 3-point jump shot to his arsenal would certainly increase his chances of accomplishing that goal.

As the Milwaukee Bucks prepare for the NBA restart at Walt Disney World in Orlando, the spotlight will be centered around Giannis Antetokounmpo while questions will continue to linger about the extent of his 3-point shooting.

Can Giannis consistently connect on 3-point attempts after the lengthy break? Will the hiatus affect his perimeter shooting mentally upon return? Will the loss of fans in attendance impact his 3-point shooting? Will he be able to knock down 3’s under pressure in the playoffs?

We will find out soon enough as the season resumption nears closer. It’s relishing to see Giannis tirelessly working on improving his range in practice, but it won’t matter if he can’t execute in games. We’ve seen his expanded potential and now he and the Bucks would love to see him transition it into a consistent pattern throughout gameplay.

Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to grind from beyond the arc and feels good about it mentally as the NBA resumption approaches inside the Disney bubble, knowing that it could be a vital factor toward the ultimate goal of winning a championship.