Giannis Antetokounmpo just became the sixth-youngest player in the league to reach 20,000-career points during Milwaukee’s recent 137-107 victory over Dallas on Wednesday evening, and he had a lot to reflect upon it. The 30-year-old enters a group of 52 NBA players to ever reach this milestone.
“I always look back at myself, and I don’t want to say I get emotional, but it’s a good feeling,” the Greek superstar expressed postgame, after reaching the milestone in the third quarter. “I’m proud of the journey, but I have so much more to give.”
Giannis scored a total of 32 points and earned 15 rebounds in 25 minutes in the Bucks‘ blowout victory. After he climbed over this new record, the team played a tribute video on the video board as the contest went on.
Antetokounmpo recalled his coach Doc Rivers telling him to concentrate on the match. “He kept saying, ‘Giannis, Giannis, focus on the play,'” the forward said with a laugh. “Like, Coach, you [don’t] get a lot of 20,000-points moments in your career.”
However, when the Milwaukee superstar was finally sent to the bench, his teammate Damian Lillard was waiting to welcome him to the club. Back in December, the point guard reached the same milestone. “It is a select group of guys that for a decade-plus have just been putting it together every year getting better.
“Performing against the scouting report, just showing up night in and night out and doing it over a long, long period of time,” Dame assured postgame. “We all know the names. Obviously, to get to 20,000 points is not just being a guy that has opportunity.”
The former Portland icon believes the recipe to earn these amount of points, is to never stop improving your game. “You got to keep getting better,” the veteran insisted. “You got to go against the best defenders, you got to go against the scouting reports, you got to take care of yourself and be available.”
