There was a certain mystique that emanated from San Antonio Spurs superstars like Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. They were obviously talented and crafty on the hardwood floor, which led the Spurs to five title runs. However, there was a subtle confidence in how they carried themselves, a sense of calm and control amid chaos on the court.
This leadership style is not easily replicated, but veteran sharpshooter Patty Mills says he sees that aura in Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Unselfish to a fault
Giannis has built an extraordinary legacy with a slew of individual accolades, including MVP awards and the Defensive Player of the Year. Yet, these honors are merely a byproduct of his exceptional basketball talent, not the driving force behind his journey. In truth, he cares little for any of these as his focus lies in team success.
“When you have a franchise player like that who puts the team first, is accountable in all those little details,” Mills shared. “It reminds me of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili and players like that who are able to trickle down and rub off on other players in the locker room and anyone new that comes in.”
As much as “Heat Culture” is renowned for its no-nonsense approach to basketball, the Spurs built one based on accountability and unselfishness. And nobody embodied that more than their silent and unassuming superstar, Duncan. In fact, the Spurs’ legendary coach, Gregg Popovich, admitted that he intentionally got on the team’s best players more than anyone else to set the tone for everyone else.
“When we run drills, I’ll purposely get on the big boys the most. Duncan, Parker and Manu Ginobili will catch more hell from me than anybody else out there,” Pop shared. “You know the obvious effect of that. If you do that and they respond in the right way, everyone else follows suit.”
Antetokounmpo exudes the same vibe. Despite his alpha male status on the squad, he works with the tenacity of a man trying to make the final cut instead of a superstar who’s solidified his place in the NBA. He runs drills with an intensity that never wavers, always pushing himself and his teammates to be better.
“He didn’t do a lot of talking; he was more action. Hard worker, leave it all on the line, leave it all on the floor every night. That’s all you can ask as a teammate,” former Bucks forward PJ Tucker said.
Always goes hard
Giannis has no signature move to speak of. Unlike Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s famed sky hook or Michael Jordan’s graceful fadeaway, Giannis’ game is still evolving at age 30. What he has is a signature gear, which is all out.
“Seeing how he’s going after things and he just wants to take his game higher and higher and higher, that’s why his team is so successful, that’s why his teammates play up to a level where they play at,” Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham stated. “Because you see your star player going that hard, it’s shameful for you not to put your best foot forward as well.”
Even though Jason Kidd is on another team’s bench, he couldn’t help but praise how far his former ward has come since his rookie season — from a 19-year-old who was finding his way both in the NBA and in America to a full-grown man who’s bearing the weight of the franchise on his shoulders.
“He understands what it means to be consistent. And he’s learned how to carry a franchise. That’s not easy to do,” J-Kidd said. “Those are the things that he’s grown into, and it’s cool to watch his growth and his journey.”
Giannis may not be as quiet as TD was, especially given how boisterous and demonstrative he is on the floor during a game. But when the cameras aren’t recording and the lights aren’t as dim, he also prefers to lead by example — nothing flashy, just sheer hard work.