NBA legend Kevin Garnett believes that Milwaukee Bucks Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is only the fourth-best player in the Eastern Conference. He cited players like Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid as being better than him.
“You can’t say that with Embiid and Tatum out there… He’s probably the, what, fourth-best player in the East?” Garnett said.
Giannis is coming off another monstrous season, averaging 30 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. He was also an All-Star and a member of the All-NBA First Team. In previous years, he was a two-time MVP and DPOY, as well as a MIP. Giannis was also the leader of a championship team in 2021 and won the Finals MVP award.
So, do Garnett’s claims hold water? The short answer is, not at all. It may be recency bias, since Tatum and the Celtics won the Finals last season and Embiid won the MVP award two years ago, but Giannis remains the best player in the East.
If injuries are a factor, then it’s a coin toss. Embiid and Giannis are both injury-prone, so Tatum set a lot of records as a young player because he plays more. But in terms of talent and hard work, Giannis beats both players.
Kevin Garnett when asked if Giannis Antetokounmpo was the best player in the East:
“You can’t say that with Embiid and Tatum out there… He’s probably the, what, fourth best player in the East?” pic.twitter.com/gIhMSt0R1p
— Secondary Sources (@sidelinesources) August 25, 2024
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