Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has won his second straight NBA MVP award after averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists while leading his team to the best regular-season record in the league.
“Obviously, I’m happy for tonight and I’m happy for this award, but I always look forward,” Antetokounmpo said Friday via ESPN.
“I always try to figure out, how can I get better? How can I do it again? How can I do it for multiple years to come? How can I be a champion? I’m happy. I’m grateful, but how can I do it again?”
“We are extremely grateful to witness Giannis earn the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award for the second consecutive season and send congratulations to him and his family.” – GM Jon Horst https://t.co/UJKK35rRoi
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) September 18, 2020
With his second consecutive win, Antetokounmpo joins rare company in Steph Curry, LeBron James, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell as the only players to ever win back-to-back MVP awards.
Giannis received 85 of 101 first-place votes, while LeBron received the other 16.
But Giannis isn’t satisfied with individual accolades.
After a disappointing second-round exit in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, some NBA pundits have posited that Antetokounmpo’s time in Milwaukee may soon come to an end.
However, Giannis reiterated that he doesn’t plan on leaving as long as the Bucks are in a position to compete for a championship.
“Our team has got to get better. I think we have great talent and as long as we improve individually and improve as a team we’re gonna be in a good spot.”