Crown Him King
Let's go back a year. One of the hottest topics to debate wasn't whether or not the Bucks could win a title. It was, "Where is Giannis going to force his way? Miami? Golden State? Dallas?" He re-signed.
Let's go back a month ago, when he wasn't guarding Kevin Durant, and people were questioning his Defensive Player of the Year award. Openly wondering if the two-time Most Valuable Player was worthy of a max contract. That was June of this year. Not when he was all limbs and no muscle coming out of Greece. They called him Robin. That was a month ago.
Let's go back a WEEK ago, when the Suns took a 2-0 series lead. And people were openly questioning if Giannis could be built around. If he could be the SECOND option on a Championship caliber team. 41 points. 26 points. 32 points. 50 Burger. Iconic block, iconic closeout performance, Finals MVP, first ballot Hall of Fame ticket STAMPED.
He's 26-years old. His career isn't even at its mid-point yet. And no one was able to enjoy this playoff run because they were too busy engaging in nonsensical hot take Olympics trying to see who could sound the loudest and dumbest. From calling Khris Middleton "Batman" to questioning the validity of his awards, it was one of the more bizarre stretches I've ever witnessed.
Giannis is everything you want from a superstar. Literally everything. He can't shoot threes, boo fucking hoo. He's Shaq who knows where the team weight room is located. He wanted to stick it out in Milwaukee, he didn't run from the grind. He's humble as fuck... off the court. On the court he rips out his competition's throat time and time again.
I'm happy the Bucks won. I feared he would be subjected to the Dirk career arc. People genuinely forget that Dirk was labeled the biggest choker in all of sports before he won that '11 ring over the Heat, then it all went away. Winning does that. Giannis is too special a player to have his career subjected to constant debate over whether he's good enough. Whether he belongs in the conversation for "that guy." At 26, the way his trophy case is set up, there aren't a lot of guys in the history of the League who can match that resumé. He belongs. He's elite. He's a Champion. He's the best player on the planet right now. That title wasn't handed to him, he fucking earned it.
I hope moving forward you don't listen to the hot take merchants pushing snake oil and actually enjoy this singular talent we have set to enter his prime. Or when they move on to Zion or Luka or one of the other bright young stars the League has right now. I don't want to ruin anyone's night, but there's a lot of good players in the NBA. You're allowed to enjoy them. I know I will.