Giannis achieves 20,000 NBA career points; he is the 52nd player to reach the milestone

NBA Milwaukee’s superstar continues to thrill fans and make history with his ridiculous scoring capabilities and skillset.

 Wednesday evening his team gets the win and the Greek phenom himself gains the glory.

Yes, the Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo reaches 20,000 career points becoming just the 52nd NBA player to achieve this milestone.

Additionally, he is the 6th-youngest player in NBA history to reach 20,000 career points during the Bucks’ 137-107 victory against the Dallas Mavericks.

So then, you may wonder… who are the other five? Which basketball players hit 20k at a younger age than Giannis? Well, ask and you shall receive. The answer: Only LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan have reached the 20K mark at a younger age.

Nevertheless, Giannis becoming a member of the 20,000 club makes sense. Antetokounmpo is one of the hardest working players in the league. His work ethic does not go unnoticed by coaches, his teammates or fans. And you can see the dividends and proof in the pudding. Giannis is having yet another stellar season, ranked second in the league in scoring (30.8), sixth in rebounding (12.1) and 23rd in assists (6.0). Last season, Antetokounmpo became the first player in NBA history to average 30 points while shooting at least 60% from the floor. And guess what? He’s on pace to do it again this year.

Furthermore, Antetokounmpo told the press after his 20K performance that he hopes he is an inspiration to others. Giannis mentions,

“I hope a lot of people see me and I represent the people who might not have it all, might not be the most talented people, but they are disciplined and they show up every night to do the right thing. No matter the outcome, they keep coming back and keep on being disciplined in their craft. I hope I can represent all those people.”

Well, Giannis… if we may say so, you are doing an excellent job in the discipline and inspiration departments. Adding one’s name to a list that includes Kobe, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain; earns that respect. Plus, what Antetokounmpo is doing with Milwaukee this season cannot be overlooked either.

Giannis and the Bucks are having a great, successful year. First of all, they are the victors of the In-Season NBA Cup Tournament. Only the second team to have that honor. And in the NBA standings they are ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference. They are on a roll, and look poised to walk on into the playoffs.

But in the meantime, Antetokounmpo begins the task of working towards 30K. Which he’s confident he’ll hit. The five players to score 20,000 points at a younger age than Antetokounmpo all went on to reach the 30,000-point mark as well. Giannis expects to join them. He says

“I’ll get there, for sure, 1,000%. I’m going to get there. I don’t know how I’ll do it, but I’m going to show up every single day and I’m going to do it.

Now, it’s not a goal of mine. I don’t think it counts in your legacy if you score 25,000 or 27 or 30,000. I think winning counts more in your legacy and things that you leave behind.

I think you get more respect from winning, and when people walk into the room, people acknowledge you. And I feel like as you get older, that’s what you’re chasing. When I say acknowledgement, I don’t mean from anybody. I mean from the greats, the people who’ve done it before.”