2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, Milwaukee Bucks – Midrange shooting
Giannis Antetokounmpo won two consecutive MVPs, then right when everyone was starting to doubt him as a playoff player he destroyed the field, shrugging off catastrophic injuries and presumed weaknesses (17-of-19 from the line in an NBA Finals closeout game!) to win the title and win back the hearts of NBA fans.
One area where Antetokounmpo improved as the season and playoffs went on was how to make an impact without the ball. He set screens, or slipped into the dunker’s spot, trusting his teammates to set him up to score. The next step in his evolution is not to become a 3-point shooter (that path seems too arduous) but instead become a master of the midrange.
Antetokounmpo can get his shot off against anyone, and he can simply shoot over most defenders. Doing so from the 3-point line is not happening, but taking three steps (or one stride for the Greek Freak) inside could be the answer. Defenders go staggering back into the paint to wall it off from him, but if Giannis can punish them by pulling up from 15 feet it will force them to stay closer, close enough for him to explode past for a mean-mugging dunk.
He hit just 35 percent of his midrange shots last season, in the bottom third of the league. Increasing that number while slightly increasing the volume can allow a unique player like Giannis to dominate another area of the floor, making him truly impossible to guard.