Giannis Antetokounmpo named DPOY
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
The league made the announcement on Tuesday.
Antetokounmpo joins former Bucks player Sidney Moncrief (in 1983 and ’84) as the only players in franchise history to win the accolade.
The award is based on games through March 11, when the NBA suspended its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Congrats to Giannis on being named Defensive Player of the Year,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. “His commitment to defending, his commitment to winning is beyond incredible.
“He impacts the game with his blocked shots, his rebounding, his ability to guard all five positions, his chase-down blocks, his challenge to do everything defensively. His talent is beyond special and combined with his team’s it’s made for a very special moment…”
Antetokounmpo in elite fraternity
Who are the five men in NBA history to receive the MVP award and Defensive Player of the Year honors?
Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Kevin Garnett, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
What’s more, the Greek Freak is the reigning MVP.
Giannis’ productive season
Giannis Antetokoumpo was the runaway winner of the award, receiving 75 of 100 first-place votes from media members. The media voted for first, second, and third place.
Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers was No. 2 in total votes, including 14 first-place votes.
In addition to this defensive versatility, Antetokounmpo was first in defensive rebounds (11.5 per game) before the NBA season was halted in mid-March.
What’s more, foes shot a 36.5 percent when matched up against Antetokounmpo. This made him the toughest player to shoot against percentage-wise in the entire league, according to published reports.
Giving props to his teammates
“Without my teammates this wouldn’t be possible,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said of the award. “I know that my name is on this trophy, but it could be any of these guys’ names on this trophy. I believe that defense is building trust and effort.
“We trust one another, we care about one another … that’s why we’re the best defensive team in the NBA and we’re gonna keep it that way.”
As a result, Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the MVP finalists this season.