There are not many things that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has not accomplished as a basketball player. After the 2016-17 season, he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player after averaging 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.
Two years later, at the end of the 2018-19 season, he won his first NBA MVP Award after averaging 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. The following year, he won MVP again and was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
A year after that, Giannis led the Bucks to their first NBA Championship in 50 years, winning Finals MVP in the process. That same season, he had also been named MVP of the NBA All-Star Game.
The eight-time All-Star was also named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, meaning that he is considered one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history.
There is one major accomplishment, though, that has alluded Giannis for his entire basketball career: leading his country to a spot in the Olympic Games.
Earlier on Saturday, Giannis and the Greek National Team faced off against Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic and the Slovenian National Team. The winner of the game was to go on to the finals of the pre-Olympic Tournament. Only the winner of this tournament would be able to earn a place in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Greece dominated Slovenia 96-68, eliminating Doncic from Olympic contention. Giannis had 13 points in just 21 minutes.
Greece is now just one win away from qualifying for the Olympics for the first time since 2008. The Greek National Team has never finished better than fifth in any of its previous four appearances in the Olympics.