Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks may have defeated a LA Lakers team without LeBron James Thursday night, but Giannis still was happy to share his thoughts on King James breaking the NBA all-time scoring record a few days earlier.
“To be completely honest, I am really very happy about him. Just seeing him with his family, enjoying it,” Giannis explained to an interviewer from Eurohoops. “It was a moment that happened yesterday, but he has worked 20 years in the NBA… And almost 20 more years before the NBA just to get to this point, and I am glad because his kids also enjoyed it with him, his wife, his mother, but also a lot of other people who idolize him all over the world rejoiced.”
Giannis also shared that while LeBron James’ scoring crown achievement is something worthy of praise, he doesn’t believe such an accomplishment directly spurs motivation because Giannis has a different set of accomplishments and signifying markers for success by which he abides.
“For me, somebody else achieving something doesn’t provide motivation. I am motivated by myself. For sure, I am a realist, meaning that I know that I may never get to the point of breaking LeBron’s record… But I will try to achieve other things that I have in my mind. Things that will make me happy, my family happy, and the people who have helped me, to make them proud of me.”
Giannis shared what he and LeBron spoke about before the Bucks/Lakers game on Thursday, with Giannis praising both LeBron’s longevity in the league, consistency in being an unparalleled player and the fact that LeBron still probably has even more great years ahead of him.
“When we talked before the game, I told him that: You have a great trajectory, for sure, you have even more years coming,” Giannis continued, “but you are already an example for many, and for me, you are the absolute example. Because you have played for 20 years, for 20 great years, you are constantly among the best of the NBA.”
Although Giannis said he doesn’t see LeBron’s recent milestone achievement as something to directly compete with, he still sees LeBron James as a player to aspire to and an “absolute example.”
Giannis added, “Whoever wants to follow this example can do it. If someone does not, he will stay behind. For me, he is the absolute example, and I just hope to stay healthy and follow in his footsteps and get to a point where when I look back, I would be absolutely proud of what I have achieved in the NBA.”
What do you think of the comments made by Giannis Antetokounmpo on LeBron James, the latter of whom recently broke the NBA all-time scoring record, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the #1 spot? Do you think LeBron James is the “absolute example” of NBA players? Let us know what you think in the comments.
