Giannis Antetokounmpo He was already a great man among the greats, but he did not rest on his laurels.he Two-time MVP Recently debuted on the podcast “48 Minutes” There, he revealed his plans to meet Hakeem Olajuwon Learn from NBA legends ahead of the 2023-2024 season.
“This season, for training camp, I have a trip planned where I will go to Houston and try to train with Hakeem Olajuwon” Antetokounmpo said. “I love his game and it would be a blessing if I could learn something from the days I spent with him“.
Antetokounmpo is not the first player to look for opportunities. Olajuwon’s advice This probably won’t be the last time. Here’s why and what you can gain.
Why is Giannis Antetokounmpo training with Hakeem Olajuwon?
Olajuwon is one of the best players in NBA history. In addition to being a 12-time All-Star, two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP, he was one of three players selected MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season.
Two other people to accomplish this rare feat? Michael Jordan and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
A dominant player on both offense and defense, Olajuwon is best known for his post game. He is considered one of, if not the best, scorer in that area the league has ever seen.
his Footwork and touch are legendary. and his usual routine—a series of feints and well-timed moves known as Dream shake– It was so effective that it earned its own name.
Since Olajuwon retired, many NBA players have visited Olajuwon in Houston and trained with him.Heading the star-studded list is LeBron James and Kobe Bryant And there are numbers like this Dwight Howard and Amar’e Stoudemire.
Next is Antetokounmpo.
What can Giannis Antetokounmpo learn from Hakeem Olajuwon?
Antetokounmpo is already doing damage in the low post, but there’s still Room for improvement.
this is yours points per gamesince becoming an All-Star, and how they compare to the rest of the league efficiency.
| season | points per game | occupy a point | percentile |
| 2016-2017 | 1.8 | 0.98 | 68.4 |
| 2017-2018 | 2.8 | 0.88 | 52.9 |
| 2018-2019 | 3.0 | 0.99 | 63.2 |
| 2019-2020 | 3.0 | 0.92 | 52.3 |
| 2020-2021 | 3.1 | 0.92 | 45.0 |
| 2021-2022 | 3.4 | 1.01 | 69.8 |
| 2022-2023 | 3.3 | 0.97 | 54.5 |
Bottom line: Antetokounmpo has spent the past few seasons trying to become one of the NBA’s most efficient low-post scorers, but for the most part, he’s been Close to league average.
Giannis is difficult to defend in this area for different reasons.with his Dimensions and spansin a one-on-one match, the defender has nothing to do against him. If he’s close to the basket, he usually scores. He can overwhelm everything with his strength and define everything with his long arms.
Even the interior has a hard time keeping Antetokounmpo from getting into the paint.The Greeks had speed To overcome them by dribbling able withstand contact and Athletic ability Complete them.
Kristaps Porzingis is one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. Here, Antetokounmpo makes him look small.
Jaden McDaniels is an all-defensive scorer. Antetokounmpo has no problem scoring against him.
Where Antetokounmpo might run into problems is when he first choice He couldn’t get to the rim.
Especially in the 2022-2023 season, Antetokounmpo Middle area scoring problem, surrounding the painting. This is important space for low-post scorers.In fact, he was one of 95 players to attempt at least 150 shots from such close range, only to hit 27.9% field goal percentagewhich puts him in last place of the group.
Comparison of, Nikola Jokicmay be the best inside scorer in the NBA currently, and has achieved great success. 62.7% His attempts at this range.
Antetokounmpo hasn’t always been so ineffective in this regard.He even had one of his best performances ever in the 2021 Finals, in large part because of his ability to balance his strong attack on the rim with Hooks and other shots of that style. It wasn’t a reliable shot for him last season.
It’s fun to think about what you could do if you added an action like this Dream shake.
Antetokounmpo’s jump shot is also inconsistent. Much attention has been paid to his mid-range and long-range shooting percentages, but he attempts to Half turn and exit more important to their development.
Mastering this shot will provide Antetokounmpo with a reliable answer defensive wall Many teams offer this service. It will also give him a weapon he can rely on without spending too much effort. risk one’s body. This will become even more important as his athleticism begins to decline.
One or two practices with Olajuwon won’t turn Antetokounmpo into a dominant interior scorer overnight, but small improvements They will go a long way in making him a more complete player.