Paul George is back in the Eastern Conference through the Philadelphia 76ers but this time, he’s an underdog. One team and player he knows he needs to get through – Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
PG last played in the East in 2017 when the man he has to beat was Cleveland Cavaliers legend Lebron James. He transferred to the Oklahoma City Thunder the next season, then played for the Los Angeles Clippers before signing with the 76ers in the latest free agency.
The nine-time All-Start acknowledged that things have changed now but explained that he did not see Antetokounmpo’s rise.
He thought Pacers were running the show in the Eastern Central division but it is the Bucks’ now.
“When he first got to Milwaukee I was like . . Milwaukee was like lil bros, you know what I mean? We was running shit in Indy. We was running that division. I got to see Giannis early. Jabari Parker was there.
I was like. ‘I don’t know. I ain’t really see the vision there’.
Now PG, is changing tunes as he sees Giannis now as among the elites of the league, big thanks to his desire to get to the next level.
“And then hindsight now I’m looking up at him. Like I’m trying to get to this mfer now.
“You did see he did have that hunger and drive, he had that IT factor, it was something about him that was like he don’t give up..”
Paul George, Giannis Antetokounmpo once fought for MVP title
Unbeknownst to many, PG and the Greek Freak figured in a rivalry before. It was in 2019 when both players were candidates for the season MVP ward.
The pair were two of the three final candidates for the most prestigious individual NBA award at that time together with James Harden playing for the Houston Rockets at that time.
It was Antetokounmpo who bagged the MVP trophy but both of them failed to win the title on that year.
George was then traded to the Clippers the next season while Giannis went on to win his second MVP honor.
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