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Great legacies are not built overnight. Giannis Antetokounmpo had to work tirelessly before even making it to the NBA Draft. His grind also did not stop after the Milwaukee Bucks selected him in 2013. He toiled while undergoing a complete physical and mental overhaul prior to becoming the top player that he is with the Miami Heat. One person was central in his leap to superstardom — it is none other than Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
How Lakers' Bryant helped Antetokounmpo turn into a Bucks legend
Prior to getting traded to the Heat, Giannis Antetokounmpo carried a very inspiring story alongside him. He was born from immigrant parents and worked at a young age to provide for his family in Greece while also sharpening his basketball acumen. This got him picked by the Bucks in 2013 and his upward trajectory started there.
The road was not at all easy too. Antetokounmpo struggled to get playing time in Bucks rosters that either missed the postseason completely or got wiped in the first round. There was a sudden switch when he entered his fourth season. He became an NBA All-Star with the Bucks. While many marvel at just being at NBA All-Star Weekend, he had a mission.
It was to get solid advice from Kobe Bryant and follow the Mamba Mentality that the Lakers legend embodied, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
"The thing he wanted to do most at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, outside of competing at a high level, was talk to Kobe and persuade the Lakers legend to work out with him the following summer. By that time, Kobe had already issued Antetokounmpo his MVP challenge... Antetokounmpo wanted the chance to work out with Kobe, but more importantly, talk with him about his mindset and how to be great," the NBA reporter declared.
Antetokounmpo took that challenge by Bryant to heart. He has since proceeded to become the 2017 Most Improved Player award, a 10-time NBA All-Star, and one-time Defensive Player of the Year. More importantly, he completed the challenge of the Lakers legend by winning two Most Valuable Player trophies. Bryant was able to see him win his first MVP award in 2019 but was no longer there for his second. After all of that, he also gave the Bucks their first NBA championship in 50 years.
Now, Antetokounmpo aims to emulate Bryant's spirit of competitiveness as he enters a new era with the Heat. Mamba Mentality lives on wherever the Greek Freak is and Bucks fans know this the most.
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