- Milwaukee Bucks superstar
Giannis Antetokounmpo admitted to lying about not having access to a hoop during quarantine after practice Tuesday. - The reigning
NBA MVP said that he fibbed to "get a little bit ahead of the competition." - It appears the 6-foot-11 swingman spent his three-plus months at home working on his shot, which was long thought to be the worst aspect of his game.
- It appears those efforts have paid off; videos from Tuesday's gym session at the NBA's "bubble" in Orlando, Florida, show Antetokounmpo consistently knocking down shots from range.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is already one of the toughest players to slow down in the NBA, but add a jump shot to his bag of tricks and he may very well be unstoppable.
And now, the reigning MVP is on his way to locking in that final piece of the puzzle.
Though he had previously told reporters that he spent his three-plus months in quarantine without access to a hoop, the 6-foot-11 Milwaukee Bucks superstar admitted Tuesday that he had lied to gain a competitive edge.
"Anybody out there that thought I didn't have access to a gym, they don't even know me," Antetokounmpo said, per ESPN. "So, I just said that to try to get a little bit ahead of the competition."
Instead, it appears as though "The Greek Freak" worked tirelessly throughout that span to improve his shot, which was long thought to be the worst aspect of his game. At practice in the NBA's "bubble" in Orlando, Florida, Tuesday, reporters caught Antetokounmpo knocking down shots from range like he never has before.
ESPN's Rachel Nichols took a video of this season's MVP frontrunner draining shots from various spots on the floor.
—Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) July 22, 2020
Likewise, The Washington Post's Ben Golliver filmed Antetokounmpo sinking "five straight corner threes off the dribble" during the same practice.
—Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 22, 2020
Here's another angle from The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears.
—Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 22, 2020
As Spears pointed out, it remains unclear whether or not the four-time NBA All-Star's newfound prowess beyond the arc will translate to in-game action. Still, the significant progress from Milwaukee's crown jewel is surely encouraging for a Bucks franchise in hot pursuit of its first NBA championship since 1971.
Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee will take on the San Antonio Spurs Thursday for their first inter-team scrimmage since the NBA shut down on March 11.
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