It has been a huge week for Giannis Antetokounmpo!
Just days after Giannis won his second straight NBA MVP award, he has been named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2020.
" To watch him play is to see not just what is, but also what is possible. There is some mystical quality that quickens a fan’s heart when they see that person walk onto the court. The true sports hero makes our bones vibrate and flesh ripple in anticipation of witnessing greatness," said six-time NBA champion and league Most Valuable Player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Seven more athletes including Dwyane Wade, Patrick Mahomes, Lewis Hamilton, Osaka Naomi, Megan Rapinoe, Maya Moore and Allyson Felix were also included on the list.
"I have no doubt that Giannis will extend the NBA records he holds—he already has the highest single-season Player Efficiency Rating, which combines all of a player’s stats, in NBA history—possibly beyond the reach of future generations. But a sports hero is more than records. Giannis sets an example by standing up for what he believes in. After leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the playoffs, he and his team protested the police shooting of Jacob Blake in their home state by refusing to play, sparking a wave of strikes and postponements throughout the NBA. I once asked Giannis what his name meant, and he told me 'the crown has arrived.' It certainly has," Abdul-Jabbar added.
