Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo is 'Hands Down' World's Best Player, Says Teammate

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo got major praise from one of his Greek teammates while overseas at EuroBasket.

The two-time MVP led Greece to the semifinals of the European tournament, carrying the main offensive load while being a menacing defender who made plays.

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Antetokounmpo is the clear leader on the Greek team, already established as an all-world talent with his success in the NBA.

The Greek Freak's teammate, Greece's forward Kostas Papanikolaou, spoke with Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews after the game, when Antetokounmpo scored 29 points, grabbed six rebounds, dished out two assists, and secured four steals.

Papanikolaou noted what made Antetokounmpo a special player on and off the court.

'The Best Player in the World'

"I mean, Giannis is the best player in the world," Papanikolaou said.

"Hands down for me. I don't care what everybody says. Everybody has their opinion, I respect it, but this is mine," Papanikolaou added. "You guys have seen this all over the tournament. He's very dominant. He's not a guy who can easily be stopped."

"There are other players like this, but what makes Giannis special is that he's a humble kid, willing to do everything to win. 

"He's amazing with his teammates, an amazing leader. He knows when to speak, when he needs to speak, what to say, how to approach the game, and how to read the game. It's all these small things that make him what he is."

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Greece ended up losing in the semi-final against Turkey, led by center Alpheren Sengun. Antetokounmpo had the worst performance of his EuroBasket run, only scoring 12 points and collecting 12 rebounds.

Before the semifinal, he averaged 29.8 points, 9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, while shooting 70.2 percent from the field.

Antetokounmpo now gets the chance to shift his focus back to the NBA in a pivotal season of his career. Over the past offseason, numerous reports have surfaced regarding his potential desire to leave Milwaukee.

Ultimately, he is staying on the team, according to recent reports, for at least another season, though if the team falters again in the playoffs, he may end up departing next offseason with no shortage of suitors.