Former NBA champion draws major comparison between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Tim Duncan

The Milwaukee Bucks are enjoying one of their most successful campaigns in recent years, emerging as legitimate title contenders thanks to their NBA Cup victory and the elite play of superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. At the center of it all is Antetokounmpo, whose dominance has once again caught the attention of NBA analysts—this time earning a lofty comparison with San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan, from ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins.

During an appearance on NBA Today, Perkins didn’t hold back in his admiration for the two-time MVP. “In my eyes, Giannis is the second-greatest power forward of all time behind Tim Duncan,” Perkins said. “He makes everyone around him better at an elite level. Every time I look up, Giannis is putting up a triple-double. This postseason is his chance to remind the world—he’s still one of the best, if not the best, player in the game.”

Antetokounmpo is putting together another MVP-caliber year, averaging a career-high 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and shooting an efficient 60.3% from the field. His presence continues to anchor a Bucks team aiming to bypass last season’s early playoff exit.

With the Bucks looking locked in and Giannis playing some of the best basketball of his career, Milwaukee appears poised to make another deep postseason run—and perhaps, add another chapter to Antetokounmpo’s already legendary career.

San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Tim Duncan sits on the bench during their game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on November 01, 2019 in San Francisco, California.

Giannis on the playoff mentality: “you don’t just become Michael Jordan”

Following the Bucks’ dominant 136–111 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night—Milwaukee’s sixth straight victory—Antetokounmpo addressed the growing hype around the team’s form heading into the postseason.

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“It’s different in the playoffs,” Giannis said. “The intensity is higher. The attention to detail is different. The physicality is different.” He pushed back against the idea that playoff greatness can simply be switched on.

“Just because it’s the playoffs, you’ll become Michael Jordan—I don’t think it works that way,” he said. “You have to build habits throughout the regular season—every single day, week, and month—so when you get to the playoffs, you’re ready to help your team at the highest level.”

Asked what makes the NBA postseason so unique, Antetokounmpo put it simply: “If you’ve never been in the playoffs, there’s nothing I can say to help you understand what it feels like. You’ve got to play.”