Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are one win away from winning the NBA championship this year.
The path to this point wasn’t easy, but Antetokounmpo has ignored repeated insults from Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams and point guard Chris Paul, focused on what’s important, and led his team to a position that some thought they may never reach.
In light of how far Antetokounmpo has come, many are now recalling the 1-word challenge that Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant once offered the Greek star.
It began in 2017, when Bryant called on Antetokounmpo to live up to his individual physical potential:
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) August 27, 2017
Once Antetokounmpo did that, Bryant told him to aim a bit higher:
My man….M.V.P. Greatness. Next up: Championship. #MambaMentality https://t.co/dhZTFI1Aam
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) June 25, 2019
At this point Antetokounmpo looks unstoppable. The only potential roadblock on the way to him meeting the goal Bryant set out for him now is the injury that seemed to bother him after Game 5.
If Antetokounmpo can overcome that, however – then he and the Bucks appear poised to bring a championship home to Milwaukee at some point within the next few days.
Yikes.https://t.co/JihUsYrDaP
— Game 7 (@game7__) July 17, 2021
Related: How Much Tequila Did LeBron James Drink During Bucks vs Suns?
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
