Giannis Antetokounmpo on Friday said that he appreciated the compliment LeBron James gave him by saying the Milwaukee Bucks star could have scored 250 points in a game if he had played in the 1970s.
However, the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player also said it is not really a fair comparison.
“Great compliment, but I don’t like comparing eras,” Antetokounmpo said after the Bucks’ 116-107 loss to the New York Knicks. “It’s not fair. If I’d played in the [19]70s, how everybody practiced and how everybody played, we would have played the same way. That’s all you knew at the time. The game evolves. We got to 2020 and we know more.”
Photo: Michael McLoone / Imagn Images
James had made the remark on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show while discussing how basketball had evolved over the past half century or so.
“You’re trying to tell me Giannis wouldn’t be able to play an NBA game in the [19]70s?” James asked rhetorically. “Giannis Antetokounmpo would have 250 points in a game in the [19]70s — 250. That’s no disrespect, but seriously.”
When Antetokounmpo was first asked about James’ comment, he initially gave a light-hearted response by saying “it would probably be more like 275, not 250,” before laughing and adding that he was only joking.
Then he gave his serious response by explaining why he believes it is not fair to compare players from different eras.
“It’s totally different, so you can’t compare this era with that era,” Antetokounmpo said. “I wish at this era that I play at now — 2025 — I wish I could score 250 points today, but, yeah, I don’t think it’s fair to compare. I’d probably play the same way they played if I played in the [19]70s.”
“It’s a great compliment coming from one of the best players in the league. It’s definitely a great compliment. I appreciate it,” he added.
Elsewhere on Friday, it was:
‧ Nets 100, Clippers 132
‧ Nuggets 129, Jazz 93
‧ Pelicans 95, Warriors 111
‧ Pistons 133, Cavaliers 122
‧ Raptors 108, Hornets 97
‧ Timberwolves 124, Suns 109
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