Giannis Antetokounmpo is making his case for a third NBA MVP award, delivering some of the best basketball of his career as the Milwaukee Bucks climb back into contention.
The two-time MVP is averaging 32.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game through 19 contests while shooting a career-high 62% from the field. His dominant play has propelled him to fourth in MVP odds on DraftKings Sportsbook at +750, trailing Nikola Jokic (+160), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+340), and Jayson Tatum (+500).
Winning a third MVP would cement Antetokounmpo’s place among the game’s greats and signal the Bucks’ return to form after a sluggish start to the season.
“Yeah, that definitely might put tears in my eyes,” Antetokounmpo told Yahoo Sports. “I do want to be part of that conversation. It lets me know I was able to help my team, carry my team, solidified [us as a team].”
The 30-year-old forward has elevated his game by embracing a more diverse offensive approach, including a reliable midrange jump shot. This development makes Antetokounmpo even harder to defend while reducing the physical toll of his aggressive playstyle.
“I’m literally changing my game,” Antetokounmpo told Yahoo Sports. “Now there’s going to be games that I’m going to make [none]. Last game, I didn’t make s***. But this game, I made them. Hopefully next game, I can make some more.”
Defensively, head coach Doc Rivers has found ways to maximize Antetokounmpo’s versatility, using him as a disruptive force on the perimeter and in the paint. With Damian Lillard as a dynamic co-star and Khris Middleton back in the lineup, Milwaukee’s roster appears built for a deep postseason run.
Antetokounmpo acknowledged that earning another MVP would mean even more at this stage of his career. “I might never win another MVP,” he told Yahoo Sports. “I’m having better years than the years I won it. But hey, the league is improving, guys are playing very, very well.”
A third MVP would put Antetokounmpo in elite company alongside Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Moses Malone, moving him past Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan, and Steve Nash. At age 30, he would join Nash as the only player in 18 years to win the award after their 20s.
Since winning a championship in 2021, the Bucks have dealt with many injuries that have shortened postseason runs. “I wanna play in the playoffs,” he told Yahoo Sports. “And two, if I had a chance to win MVP, for sure, it would put some tears in my eyes. I’m not saying it as clickbait.”
With Milwaukee gaining momentum, Antetokounmpo’s case for a third MVP could become hard to ignore.
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