As the 2024-25 NBA regular season draws to a close, the debate intensifies over who deserves to be voted the MVP. Three-time MVP winner Nikola Jokic is among the frontrunners, while many also mention Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a contender. While Giannis Antetokounmpo is certainly in the conversation, one former NBA star believes he is missing something crucial.
“I feel like Giannis hasn’t added pieces to his game,” opined Lou Williams in an interview with Run It Back. “As you get older, as you evolve in this game, you’ve got to add something. Usually, you see guys add something.”
The three-time Sixth Man of the Year then compared Antetokounmpo to other stars in the league. “We saw Shai add pieces to his game from last year to this year. Jokic has been way more dominant this year than he was last year. You see guys adding a piece.”
Regarding what could benefit the Milwaukee Bucks star, Williams elaborated: “I want to see Giannis add a piece to his game. That mid-range, we were talking about that mid-range earlier in the season, kind of got away from it. Add the three-ball, add something to your bag that we haven’t seen. I think it’s just more of the same.”
Williams praises Giannis
In the same conversation, Lou Williams reflected on the Milwaukee Bucks’ season. “Once they kind of had some turbulence earlier in this year, that kind of put him in a tricky position,” the former Los Angeles Clippers guard considered.
Nevertheless, Williams acknowledged that Antetokounmpo “was in the MVP conversation,” though he clarified: “I would just love to see Giannis add something to his game for that to happen.” Lou concluded: “I don’t think he’s one of the forgotten greats, I think he’s still top-four, top-five in this league.”
Can Antetokounmpo compete for the MVP?
The debate over the 2024-25 NBA MVP has largely centered around Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Serbian center won the award in three of the last four seasons, in addition to being the 2023 NBA champion and Finals MVP with the Denver Nuggets.
Shai, meanwhile, is having a career-best season, leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a historic 54-12 record in the Western Conference. The Canadian guard is also the league leader in points per game this year, with 32.8.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, however, also has his own case for the MVP conversation. With two previous MVP titles, as well as an NBA championship and Finals MVP in 2021, he has once again shown his excellence this season. He led the Bucks to the NBA Cup title, earning MVP honors in that tournament, and currently ranks second in the league in points per game with 30.5.