Giannis Antetokounmpo reached another milestone on Wednesday night, scoring his 20,000th career point with a left-handed layup. Milwaukee Bucks fans erupted in “M-V-P” chants as a tribute video highlighted his remarkable path from the streets of Athens, Greece, to NBA superstardom.
The nine-time All-Star reached 20,000 career points in his 840th game. At 30 years and 89 days old, Giannis became the sixth-youngest player in NBA history to hit this milestone.
The moment left his coach, Doc Rivers, both in awe of his generational talent and frustrated by what he sees as a lack of recognition from the league.
“I hear about everybody else, and I don’t hear enough about what Giannis is doing. He’s having a career year this year. And it’s, in some ways, at least, I feel like it’s going unnoticed,” said the Bucks head coach after their 134 – 107 victory over the injury-laden Dallas Mavericks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP who might be playing the best basketball of his career at 30 for the Bucks, sits at No. 4 in the current MVP race, trailing Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jayson Tatum. Rivers praised his dominance on both ends of the floor. A former Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, Antetokounmpo has earned first-team All-Defense honors four times.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo joining elite company
Only LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, and Michael Jordan hit the 20,000-point milestone at a younger age than Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 30-year-old capped off the night with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists, pushing his career total to 20,010 points.
Antetokounmpo also became the 52nd player in NBA history to reach the milestone and the first to score all 20,000 points with the Bucks. Additionally, he set a new mark for efficiency, recording the fewest minutes played in a 30-point, 15-rebound game since 1967, finishing in just 24 minutes and 50 seconds—breaking Johnny Green’s previous record of 25 minutes.
Teammate Damian Lillard sits at No. 37 on the all-time scoring list with 22,453 points. The duo showcased their offensive firepower in Wednesday’s dominant win over Mavericks. Lillard was on fire, shooting 73% while racking up 34 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo connected on 65% of his attempts to finish with 32 points.
The Greek Freak is putting up impressive numbers this season, averaging 30.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game for the Bucks. He’ll be back in action when the Bucks face the Magic on Saturday, March 8.
