I am not Michael Jordan: Giannis Antetokounmpo denies comparison with the Legend

Sometimes players rewrite history. When they do, they are often nicknamed as the predecessors of the game. It is good at times to be compared with the icons but can also be responsible for their own identity crisis.

This is why Giannis Antetokounmpo has said that he is not Michael Jordan. The Suns, with which Michael Jordan played for in 1993, during the 1993 NBA Finals their journey just as the Bucks, the team Giannis plays for, did against the 2021 Phoenix side, with two losses. But this is not the only similarity in both the finals and those include Michael Jordan and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In the second game, the 42-point effort of Greek Freak went in waste as the Bucks lost the game. Similarly, Jordan’s 44 points in Game 3 in 1993 were proved just short against Charles Barkley’s Suns. However, Air Jordan, as Michael Jordan was famously called, delivered four back-to-back games with 40+ that kept Suns in the lead in 1993.

In the postgame interview, Giannis was asked by a reporter whether he can repeat that streak in this series just like Jordan did in 1993.  The usually calm and composed and down-to-earth Giannis said he shouldn’t be compared with Jordan.

“I’m not Michael Jordan. Four 40 points in a… straight too? No, I’m not Michael Jordan. But all I care about right now, it’s getting one more. Just taking our pieces, doing our job.” said Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks, after losing two early games, finally displayed their class as they brilliantly pinned down the Suns in Game 3. The one player whose performance was miles ahead from rest of the Bucks’ was Giannis, who was spot on in all the three games. The Greak Freak is simply brilliant in the postseason. Brilliant enough that he has been compared with great Michael Jordan.

Though Greek Freak can take pride in being compared with the great Jordan. He himself knows the value of this comparison which will certainly drive him to improvise himself and deliver great performances.