Despite winning his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player award, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t want to be called an MVP until he’s an NBA champion.
Antetokounmpo spoke with TNT’s Ernie Johnson after being named the winner of the prestigious award by a comfortable margin. Finishing runner-up for the award was four-time winner of the accolade, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Rejecting the idea that he can now be called a two-time MVP, Antetokounmpo instead focused on his main goal.
“Don’t call me MVP until I’m a champion.”
Giannis at the end of his interview with @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/sRHBYG3bZ7
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 18, 2020
“No, no, not yet, not yet,” Antetokounmpo said about being called MVP. “I gotta set a goal. I don’t know what the goal is right now. Actually, I know what the goal is. Don’t call me MVP. Don’t call me two-time MVP until I’m a champ.”
Antetokounmpo and the Bucks entered the postseason with the best overall record in the NBA, but were eliminated by the Miami Heat in a five-game second-round series.
During Game 4 of that series with the Heat, Antetokounmpo sustained an ankle injury that kept him out of the final game of the series.
At present, Antetokounmpo is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of next season.
