NBA rumors have long swirled around Giannis Antetokounmpo. His rare combination of size, athleticism, and skills has naturally made people wonder just what position he will end up playing in the National Basketball Association. The Milwaukee Bucks themselves have teased fans about the possibility of there being a point guard bigger than Magic Johnson. According to Yahoo! Sports , the transition to the back court is starting to happen with Antetokounmpo.
If you’re an NBA head coach without any imagination, then you stick Giannis Antetokounmpo at small forward or power forward. Since Jabari Parker can also play both positions, the Milwaukee Bucks essentially had a hybrid combination. If you’re a creative head coach in the National Basketball Association like Jason Kidd, who was also pretty imaginative when he was a player himself, then you try to figure out how to get production from Antetokounmpo at all five positions on the floor.
Prior to the All Star break, Jason Kidd utilized Giannis Antetokounmpo at small forward and power forward. However, during the lengthy break, the former Dallas Mavericks guard had plenty of time to think about how he wanted to run the team. He decided to finally pull the trigger and see if Antetokounmpo can reach his full potential. The move worked out really well, as Giannis started looking like a much different player than when the NBA season started, one that is capable of dominating games.
Defensively, Giannis Antetokounmpo will still go up against small forwards and power forwards. Occasionally, he’ll defend centers when NBA teams run a small ball lineup against the Milwaukee Bucks. Offensively, though, is where the change has been made. Khris Middleton shifts to small forward, while Jerryd Bayless shifts from point guard to shooting guard. That enables Antetokounmpo to use his athleticism to run the offense from the point guard position.
At 6’11”, 220 pounds, Giannis Antetokounmpo towers over all of the point guards in the NBA. Contesting his shot is really difficult because of his height and long wing span. It takes a lot of strength to slow him down whenever he drives through the lane. If Antetokounmpo could ever develop a reliable outside shot, then imagine guards trying to defend a fadeaway jumper. It almost would not be fair.
Offensively, the Milwaukee Bucks might develop into a team that is hard to defend. With Giannis Antetokounmpo handling the ball from the perimeter and Jabari Parker pulling opposing power forwards outside, then Greg Monroe would have all the space in the world to work on opposing centers in the low post. They could be the most dominating offense in the NBA, one that could rival the Golden State Warriors if everyone reaches his potential.
From a defensive standpoint, the versatility of Giannis Antetokounmpo could make them a team that’s hard to score against. The Greece born player can switch out to cover the guards on a pick and roll. Burning him off the dribble would be extremely difficult because of his long wing span. Those arms of his can cover up for defensive mistakes. Plus, if he does get burned by an opposing guard, then Antetokounmpo can come in from behind to block the shot.
While it’s much too soon in the experiment to really gauge the success of it, Giannis Antetokounmpo has developed into a triple-double machine in the NBA. Some have started wondering if he can average a triple-double throughout a season like Oscar Robertson did. If he can pull that off, then the National Basketball Association has another star on its hands. The Milwaukee Bucks would finally become a relevant team again.
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