Giannis Antetokounmpo is the new all-time leading scorer in Milwaukee Bucks franchise history by surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
It was only a matter of time, but it finally happened, as Giannis Antetokounmpo finally overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time leading scorer in Milwaukee Bucks franchise history.
Antetokounmpo is averaging a career-best 30.1 points per game in his ninth season with the franchise. While Abdul-Jabbar amassed all of his Milwaukee numbers over the course of six seasons, keep in mind that he was the undisputed best high school player in the country and collegiate talent coming out of UCLA as Lew Alcindor. He also had the greatest unblockable shot.
When asked about surpassing an NBA icon like Abdul-Jabbar in Bucks lore, Antetokounmpo said at the podium on Thursday night, “It’s good because I’m changing the narrative. I don’t want to be the guy that only dunks and runs. I can make a three.”
Antetokounmpo is a two-time league MVP and the best player on the reigning NBA champions. At only 27 years old, he is just now entering his prime as a professional for the Milwaukee franchise.
Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts to passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Bucks scoring
There is so much to unpack with Antetokounmpo standing alone on the Milwaukee scoring mountaintop. No Buck has done and may ever do a better job of getting buckets than him. This is a franchise record of both longevity and growth. Antetokounmpo will not be the first player to spend his first 10 seasons with one franchise and he surely will not be the last. However, this is special.
Abdul-Jabbar had been the greatest player in franchise history for decades prior to Antetokounmpo’s arrival in Wisconsin. He may have only spent six seasons with the team, but he was utterly sensational. Who else can take an expansion era team to the NBA Finals and win it three seasons? Of course, Oscar Robertson was a massive part in making that possible as well.
As for Antetokounmpo, he has emerged from a lanky kid from Athens playing in the second division in Greece to arguably the best player in the game today. Not only has he evolved as a player, he has evolved as a person. Milwaukee is home for him. We are potentially looking at an athlete who will end up being more beloved by Wisconsinites when he retires than Brett Favre.
Antetokounmpo may not surpass Abdul-Jabbar on the NBA all-time scoring list, but this is a huge step in the right direction for him.