Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo has inspired us all

Largely due to the absolute dominance from bona fide superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo during Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals, the Milwaukee Bucks triumphantly crowned themselves NBA Champions for the first time since 1971 and earned its second title in franchise history.

In a legacy-defining Game 6, Antetokounmpo led this resilient group of Bucks by displaying a historic, legendary two-way effort by dropping a mesmerizing 50 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks on 64.0 percent field goals while astonishingly draining 17-of-19 free throws to ultimately sink the Phoenix Suns for good. As Milwaukee secured the 4-2 series victory to finally reach the ultimate goal, their loyal superhero came to the rescue when needed most.

Antetokoumnpo was unanimously named Finals MVP after recording imposing averages of 35.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game on 61.8 percent shooting from the floor throughout the NBA Finals. It was even more impressive to consistently execute this amount of damage after hyperextending his left knee in breath-holding fashion just two weeks ago. Evidently, it was one of the greatest Finals showings of all time.

Following a legendary NBA Finals performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo to clinch his first-ever NBA Championship, the humble superstar has inspired us all.

From a skinny 18-year-old kid out of Greece that used to sell items on the streets and share shoes with his brothers through poverty to this unimaginable NBA career that Giannis Antetokounmpo has produced thus far, it’s truly been an awe-inspiring story. In fact, it could go down as the most inspiring story in all of sports.

It took unconventional adversity, perseverance, determination, high-end work ethic, and self-belief, but Antetokounmpo can call himself an NBA Champion at last. At just 26 years old, Giannis has now compiled an ultra-impressive list of accolades that includes NBA Champion, Finals MVP, two-time regular season MVP, five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, and All-Star Game MVP.

Antetokounmpo became the first in NBA history to win a Finals MVP, MVP, DPOY, and MIP award. Nobody would have expected that after the Milwaukee Bucks drafted a premature Giannis with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

He’s come a long way, especially when you also look back on how Antetokounmpo only won 15 games along with long-time tenured teammate Khris Middleton during the whole 2013-14 season with the Bucks, and now eight years later, they’ve won 16 games throughout the entire postseason. It’s really beyond remarkable what they’ve gone through together in order to reach this point of greatness.

Middleton’s inspiring career also stands out as a former second-round pick and G-League alum that worked his way up to an All-Star and reliable second-option on a title-contending team, but Antetokounmpo’s unique journey is unlike any other. We will never see anything like his grind toward the top again.

Giannis continues to inspire the world with his rare humanity, gracious personality, elite basketball skill, and contagious mentality. Winning an NBA Championship has always been the ultimate goal, and now that he’s accomplished it the way he’s done it by not running from the grind and staying loyal to the small market of Milwaukee, he’s drastically become an even larger role model across the globe.

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“I hope this can give everybody around the world hope, allow them to believe in their dreams,” Antetokounmpo said with both the Larry O’Brien trophy and Bill Russell Finals MVP trophy in his lap.

Before Giannis made his NBA debut, he stood on the court of the BMO Harris Bradley Center (former arena of the Bucks) with his family by his side while looking up at the rafters and dreaming of delivering a championship banner and a retired No. 34 jersey up there one day. Well, one dream has been accomplished, and the other dream will most certainly occur once Antetokounmpo calls it a career as he’s already become the greatest Buck of all time.

For now, Giannis is still in his prime years and has no plans of taking the foot off the gas pedal. He’s already earned the most impressive resume from a 26-year-old in the history of the NBA, and there’s no question that he’s hungry for more. As the generational talent continues to add inspirational moments and legendary achievements to his promising legacy, Antetokounmpo’s influence has gone beyond measures.

Some may argue that he’s changed the outlook of the NBA with his decision to stay in Milwaukee and successfully bring this city a championship. So many people doubted Antetokounmpo after signing a five-year, $228.2 million supermax contract last offseason to commit to the Bucks long-term, yet he’s an NBA Champion less than a year later.

Giannis Antetokounmpo stayed in Milwaukee and did it the hard way

All that slanderous talk about how Giannis can’t win it all in Milwaukee can finally be put to bed for good as he’s silenced the doubters once again. Many urged him to take the easy route toward a championship by leaving Milwaukee and forming a “superteam” someplace else, but loyalty has always been a popular trait trenched inside Giannis’ values.

“I could’ve gone to a super team. I did it the hard way. I f*cking did it,” Antetokounmpo stated with emotional joy. Giannis indeed defied the odds, not for the first time in his career, and resiliently completed the goal that he’s dreamed of all these years.

Hopefully, Antetokounmpo’s dedication to the team that drafted him will inspiringly spread across the values of other stars in the league. As witnessed this season, it’s clearly more special to win a ring with the organization that initially believed in you and has stuck with you since day one. Giannis was a prime example of that.

Despite consecutive years of failure and disappointment, Antetokounmpo chased vengeance without giving up, improved upon his weaknesses, sacrificed blood, sweat, and tears to get better every day, put the countless amount of work in to prepare his team for success, stayed the course, trusted the process, and rallied behind pure heart and grit. As a result, the mission was accomplished and glory was fulfilled in the end.

All in all, Giannis’ career journey continues to serve as an inspirational story that’s only about halfway through. Carrying the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA Championship after all he’s been through and come from will certainly speak volumes in terms of influence, respect, admiration, and legacy around the world, and the grind will keep moving forward.

As an excelling icon, an established role model, and an NBA Champion, Giannis Antetokounmpo has inspired us all.