Before Wednesday night, there were few things Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo hadn’t accomplished as a basketball player.
- A Defensive Player of the Year? Check
- A six-time All-Star? Check
- A two-time MVP? Check
- An NBA champion? Check
But one curious mark was missing: The Charles Barkley seal of approval. Known for his passionate takes on the NBA world, Barkley usually reserves strong words of praise for a player until he’s seen a considerable sample size.
It appears he’s finally seen enough with “The Greek Freek.” In the pregame of Bucks-Bulls on Inside the NBA, Barkley had perhaps the best and most apt comparison for the Bucks’ talisman:
Spurs Hall of Famer Tim Duncan.
"Other than Tim Duncan, he's the most humble, quiet superstar I've ever been around."
Chuck praises Giannis ahead of Game 5 in Milwaukee. pic.twitter.com/WChHFQ29yq
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 27, 2022
“There is no drama, he’s just a great person, and a great player,” Barkley said of Antetokounmpo. “He just comes to work and wants to play basketball. You’ve got to admire that.”
Well said, Chuck. There are no lies about Antetokounmpo detected and what an awesome player like Duncan to compare him to.
In on-court matters, Antetokounmpo (33 points) and Milwaukee (-12.5 favorites) went on to dispatch the Bulls, 116-100, to win their first-round series, four games to one. If things keep proceeding as is, Barkley might have even nicer words to say about Antetokounmpo by the end of these playoffs.
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