On Monday night, the exceptional Giannis Antetokounmpo added another important chapter to the history of basketball, joining big names like LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Michael Jordan. With an extraordinary performance, he surpassed one of the most iconic legends of the sport.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a superstar hailing from Greece and aged 29, has been a loyal member of the Milwaukee Bucks for over a decade. From the moment he was chosen with the 15th overall selection of the NBA draft in the summer of 2013, this star of incredible athletic ability has demonstrated his talent on the court.
During the Bucks’ match against the Houston Rockets at Fiserv Forum, Antetokounmpo once again demonstrated his exceptional dominance. With 17 rebounds, he surpassed the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the list of players with the most rebounds in Milwaukee Bucks history.
Antetokounmpo in the Lakers vs Bucks match, 2023 (Photo Ansa)
The records broken by Antetokounmpo and his words
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the physically imposing talent from Greece, recently broke the rebounding record in Bucks history. After surpassing the 7,162 rebound mark, he now stands at 7,165 rebounds in his career with the Milwaukee team. This not only made him an entry in Bucks history, but also positioned him as the undisputed leader in all three of the club’s major individual statistical categories, dating back to 1968.
Importantly, no other Milwaukee player has ever scored more points, recorded more assists, or grabbed more rebounds than Giannis Antetokounmpo. This remarkable feat places him alongside only three other players in NBA history who hold club records in these three statistical categories.
Notably, these three players are none other than LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Michael Jordan. They respectively hold the records for points, rebounds and assists for their respective clubs: the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Chicago Bulls. It is a list of great honor for the young Antetokounmpo, who continues to leave a historic mark on the world of basketball.
“I don’t think anyone could imagine that a skinny young man from Greece, selected to play in the G-League, would reach a position to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record. However, I am sure that in the future there will be someone who will manage to break all the records set by Kareem, Oscar Robertson, Marques Johnson, myself and Khris Middleton,” the Greek player modestly told the league’s website about the record reached up.
An ever-growing career
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s resume features an impressive list of accomplishments, including an NBA title, two NBA MVP titles, seven All-Star appearances, a league defensive player award and setting the Milwaukee Bucks’ scoring record with a incredible scoreboard of 64 points.
Although Antetokounmpo contributed to the Bucks’ victory against the Rockets with a 26-point performance, it was his American teammate Damian Lillard who grabbed the headlines with his 39 points in the 128-119 victory.
This victory allowed Antetokounmpo, Lillard and the rest of the Bucks to keep the Boston Celtics atop the Eastern Conference. The Bucks are in second place with 19 wins in their 26 games this season, while the Celtics lead the league with 20 wins in 25 games.
