Giannis Antetokounmpo became the sixth youngest player to reach 21,000 regular-season points in the NBA after scoring 29 in his Bucks’ victory over the Nets, which puts him 42nd on the league’s all-time scoring list with 21,002. But the Greek, who will turn 30 on Saturday, is going for LeBron James’ record, who will turn 41 on December 30 and sits at the top of that ranking with 42,250 points… and counting.
“We have to talk about who these guys are,” he said of the five players who reached 21,000 points before him. “We’re talking about Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Wilt [Chamberlain] and Kevin Durant. I think they’re the greatest of all time. Have I achieved as much as they have? I don’t think so. Do I have a lot of room for improvement and growth to continue to write my own legacy? Yes,” he said before bluntly pointing out what his ambitious goal is.
Convinced he could do it
“And I think getting to the top of the scoring list is not six, seven or eight years away. In my opinion, it’s four or five years away. I think when I’m 35 years old and sitting in this chair, we’re going to be debating my position as the all-time leading scorer. And I would have made it happen, and not just because I think I’m going to achieve it. It’s something I want to do,” he remarked.
Getting to the top of the scoring list is not six, seven or eight years away. In my opinion, it’s four or five years away
With 42,250 points, LeBron James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, but Antetokounmpo is in no hurry to catch up with him. “Again, that’s too far away. In four or five years, I might have four more kids. My wife might have left me. Who knows? Four or five years before, I had no kids, and now I do. So I just have to worry about staying healthy. And when it’s all said and done, we’ll sit down and do the math,” Giannis added.
Appreciate those moments
“When I was younger, and a couple of years ago, I thought, ‘Yeah, it’s another day at the office. Let me do my job and go home.’ But as you get older, you start to appreciate those moments. You don’t take them for granted,” he confessed about the milestone of reaching 21,000 points and what lies ahead.
Catching LeBron? I just have to worry about staying healthy. And when it’s all said and done, we’ll sit down and do the math
He recalled his beginnings: “Being a kid from Greece, from Sepolia, where I grew up in a small neighborhood, not many good things happen or come out of there. I’m very grateful to have been able to be on stage and, 13 years later, to score 21,000 points. I’ve had great support, with my family and God by my side. They have guided me throughout my journey. I’m happy. I have many things, many chapters that I want to keep closing. I just have to concentrate.”
Humility and hard work remain his hallmarks: “I just have to keep my head down, keep working hard, keep being disciplined, keep being available for my teammates, and I know great things are going to happen, because I push myself. I don’t think there’s anyone more disciplined than me,” he said as one of the keys to his success.
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