Giannis Antetokounmpo's player ranking proves Bucks star is still at the peak of his powers

Giannis Antetokounmpo is not slowing down. But as the two-time NBA MVP prepares for his 13th season, his future with his beloved Milwaukee Bucks appears more uncertain than ever.

Since he led the Bucks to the NBA title in 2021 -- Milwaukee's first championship in 50 years -- Antetokounmpo hasn't returned to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bucks have suffered three successive first-round eliminations. Mike Budenholzer is long gone; Damian Lillard, the All-Star sidekick who was supposed to keep Milwaukee in the title conversation, arrived from Portland and has since returned to Portland, following the Bucks' shock decision to waive him in July.

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The Bucks' true competitive level aside from Antetokounmpo is a question mark on the eve of the 2025/26 NBA season. What is not in question though is Antetokounmpo's continued standing as one of the very best players in the league: The Sporting News has ranked Antetokounmpo third on its list of the top 30 players in the NBA entering 2025/26.

Antetokounmpo, a nine-time All-Star and a future Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, is working on a streak of three successive seasons averaging better than 30 points per game. When he lowers his shoulder and drives to the rim, he remains virtually unstoppable; in four of the past five seasons,  Antetokounmpo has led the NBA in free-throw attempts. And with the addition of a lethal mid-range jumper to his repertoire, the Greek Freak has more ways to challenge a defense than ever before.

Pair his offensive production with his elite defensive ability, and Antetokounmpo remains one of the best and most exciting players in the sport.

In a bid to take some of the offensive burden off of Antetokounmpo's shoulders, the Bucks signed star big man Myles Turner in free agency; only time will tell if this pairing can get Milwaukee out of the first round. But it is far from certain as to whether a playoff series win will convince Antetokounmpo, in the second half of his career as one of the NBA's biggest stars, that he can win another championship with the Bucks -- especially if Milwaukee, with a projected 43.5 win total, is hanging around the Play-In Tournament spots.

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