Giannis credits work ethic for reaching 20,000 career points milestone

Photo : AP

Milwaukee Bucks player Giannis Antetokounmpo says his hard work helped him reach a big goal in his career. On Wednesday night, he scored 32 points in a big 137-107 win against the Dallas Mavericks. With this, his total career points became 20,010. He is now the 52nd player in NBA history to score more than 20,000 points. Only five players—LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, and Michael Jordan—scored that many points at a younger age than him.

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After the game, Giannis shared his feelings. He said he hopes his journey can inspire people who may not have much talent but are willing to work hard. "I hope people look at me and see that you don’t have to be the best or the most talented. If you work hard, show up every day, and stay focused, you can achieve great things," he said.

When Giannis joined the NBA, he was only 18 years old. The Bucks picked him as the 15th overall player in the 2013 draft. He was tall and athletic but needed to improve his skills. Over time, he worked on his body and game, becoming one of the best players in the league.

At the start of his career, Giannis talked to many older players to learn what it takes to be great. He listened carefully and followed their advice. His strong heart, fighting spirit, and daily practice helped him improve.

Even after a tiring game, Giannis never skips his routine. After saying goodnight to his children and speaking to the media, he went straight to the gym to lift weights. "It doesn’t matter if I feel happy, sad, or even tired. It doesn’t matter if I win or lose. I always do my job. I don’t argue with myself," he said.

This discipline helped him become one of the most reliable players in the NBA. Before Wednesday’s game, he was second in the league for scoring (30.8 points per game), sixth in rebounding (12.1), and 23rd in assists (6.0). Last season, he became the first player in NBA history to score 30 points per game while making 60% of his shots. He is on track to do it again this season.

His coach, Doc Rivers, praised him. "He does the same thing every single day. It’s like watching a movie on repeat. I think sometimes people forget how special he is, but they shouldn’t," Rivers said.

It was special that Giannis reached this goal while playing against Dallas. When he started his NBA journey, his first coach was Jason Kidd, who now coaches the Mavericks. The Bucks honored Giannis by showing a tribute video after he passed the 20,000-point mark.

His teammate Damian Lillard, who also reached 20,000 points last season, said that Giannis scores differently from most players today. "These days, most top scorers shoot a lot of three-pointers. But Giannis scores inside the paint, near the basket, and by getting free throws. That’s really hard to do. He plays through a lot of tough defense and contact. To do that for so many years, your body has to be very strong. That shows how tough he is," Lillard said.

All five players who reached 20,000 points younger than Giannis later scored 30,000 points. Giannis is sure he will do the same.

"I will reach 30,000 points, 1,000%," he said. "I don’t know exactly how, but I will keep working every day, and I will do it."

However, Giannis said personal records don’t matter as much as winning. "It’s not my goal," he explained. "Scoring 25,000 or 30,000 points doesn’t make your legacy. Winning is what really matters. That’s what people remember."

For Giannis, true success is not just about numbers. "As I get older, I care more about respect from the great players who came before me. That’s what really counts," he said.

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