Giannis Antetokounmpo Fantasy Outlook & Value 2019-20

Giannis Antetokounmpo, A.K.A. the Greek Freak ascended to another level last season when he led the Milwaukee Bucks to 60 wins and claimed the MVP award. Although it may have ended in disappointment in the conference finals, the Bucks future still remain bright, especially now that Kawhi Leonard has moved west. At just 24, the Greek Freak still has a lot of room to grow, and with his tireless work ethic, there’s reason to think he may improve substantially by as soon as this season. Giannis himself seems aware of just how much he can evolve as a player, as evidenced by the fact he believes he’s only reached “60 percent of my potential”.

 

The Bucks have changed a little bit since last year, losing key player Malcolm Brogdon but acquiring role players like Robin Lopez, Wesley Matthews, and Kyle Korver. Still, the Bucks will still enter the season with starters Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez, so they’ll have some sense of continuity. With the Raptors no longer a threat, and the Nets likely needing a year for Durant to return, it would seem that only the 76ers will be clear threats to the Bucks in the east this season. The time to strike for Giannis and Co. is now, and considering they were only two games away from the finals last year, it’s reasonable to declare them early favorites in the east. One thing will be clear, and that is that the Bucks will only go as far as Giannis can carry them.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Fantasy Stats

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7232.827.712.55.957.872.925.61.31.53.756.2

Upside

As the reigning MVP, it’s a scary thought that there’s still so many areas that Giannis can improve in. One big area is his 3-point stroke, which he’s struggled with in the past couple seasons. However, he did show some intriguing signs of a competent stroke in the playoffs, where he shot 33 percent from distance on almost 4 attempts per game. He’s already one of the most unique players in NBA history, and if he develops a consistent jump shot, he could truly become something we’ve never seen before. The Greek Freak has been one of the most consistent and reliable options in fantasy, with his incredible versatility allowing him to contribute in so many ways. He’s been a contender for best fantasy option the past couple seasons, but the addition of a 3-point shot could make him the clear-cut number one option in fantasy. His ceiling is a monstrous season where he averages 30 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 2 blocks a game on ridiculously efficient shooting split.

Floor

Although Giannis has proven himself as one of the best players in the league, there’s reason to think he’ll stagnate or even backslide a little this year. He’ll still be a great fantasy option, but he might not be as game-changing as he was last year. Kawhi and the Raptors were able to significantly slow Giannis down in the conference finals with their scheme, and though most teams won’t have a defender even close to Kawhi’s level, the blueprint is there. If Giannis’ jumper isn’t ready this season, opposing defenses might adapt to him, and slow him down a little. Again, he’s too talented to be truly suppressed, so he’ll still be an elite option, but he just might not be as absurdly productive as people expect him to be. His floor is a season where he averages 25 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1.5 blocks a game.

What to Expect

Milwaukee BucksGiannis is currently ranked as the best small forward in fantasy and the 2nd best player overall. He’s expected to be drafted in the first round and has an auction value of $60. This is pretty solid value for him, all things considered. He’s significantly less expensive than other players such as James Harden and Anthony Davis, but will probably provide just as much value. He’s one of the few players in fantasy worthy of being your first pick. If you have the opportunity to snag him, don’t think twice.

The Bucks will be slightly different entering this season, but there’s still reason to think they’ll be a juggernaut. Giannis is one of the most jaw-dropping players in the league, with his combination of athleticism, size, and sheer strength allowing him to make plays no other players can. It’s likely he’ll once again be in contention for not just the MVP award, but also the DPOY award this season. Incredibly young, with a mostly clean history of health, I’m expecting Giannis to play a lot of games and dominate most of them. A season where he averages 28 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks seems reasonable.

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Despite being born in Orange County growing up as a die hard Lakers fan, his fandom is pretty diverse and extends as far as Syracuse University. Aside from sports journalism and analytics, he’s passionate about video games and critiquing movies. Eventual goals include ownership of the entire NBA and NFL.

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