People raving about Giannis the "Greek" freak's numbers...

[Phenomanul]

We've seen it before...

It's what David Robinson did on a nightly basis for the Spurs back in the early 90's...

Long, tall, fast, quick, strong...

Could fill up any of the categories on any given night:
Points
Rebounds
Blocks
Steals

Robinson was a more consistent shooter though (despite his odd release).

It's a shame people are willing to believe the pundits and mar his legacy based solely on the outcome of one series - especially sad if they are self-proclaimed Spurs fans.

Robinson was the 4th such athletic "freak" over 6-10" in basketball...

Wilt Chamberlain
Artis Gilmore
Hakeem Olajuwon
David Robinson
Shawn Kemp (not quite as good as the others - least talented on the list - but doted with the same physical tools)
Shaquille O'Neal (most underutilized talent on this list - especially on the defensive end)
Kevin Garnett (not nearly as fast or as strong but equally versatile)
Anthony Davis
Giannis Antetokounmpo

[LaMarcus Bryant]

hegamaboa with the goods :tu

[Nathan89]

It's too bad Robinson didn't get to play with 4 shooters tbh.

[RD2191]

Giannis is massively over hyped, probably because he plays in such a shitty conference.

[duncan2k5]

Giannis is massively over hyped, probably because he plays in such a shitty conference.
He definitely isn't overhyped... Him on the spurs would be insane... He is my favorite non spur

[Mr. Body]

I'll be impressed when he starts actually winning important games. DRob was far better. Of course it's early

[Clipper Nation]

I'll be impressed when he starts actually winning important games. DRob was far better. Of course it's early

D-Rob had that reputation too until Duncan showed up. Giannis is surrounded by scrubs and has a shit coach, just like D-Rob in his prime.

[Phenomanul]

I'll be impressed when he starts actually winning important games. DRob was far better. Of course it's early

Because he could shoot. His playmaking skills were not as complete as Giannis' are right now (although that may be because Giannis is forced to distribute without a reliable jumper in his arsenal). People do forget that Robinson averaged 4.8 APG the year he averaged 29.8 PPG - which is a remarkable feat from a guy that is 7'-1".

[tonight...you]

He definitely isn't overhyped... Him on the spurs would be insane... He is my favorite non spur
Nobody here takes you seriously bro.
And they never will.

No matter how much you pat yourself on the back on things you claim.

#HardRealities

[Snaq O'Meal]

Because he could shoot. His playmaking skills were not as complete as Giannis' are right now (although that may be because Giannis is forced to distribute without a reliable jumper in his arsenal). People do forget that Robinson averaged 4.8 APG the year he averaged 29.8 PPG - which is a remarkable feat from a guy that is 7'-1".

DRob's assist numbers were remarkable because:
1. He wasn't the primary ballhandler; and
2. He was surrounded by offensively-challenged scrubs.

[coachmac87]

No need to hate on Giannis...

He's new blood and a very talented, young, intriguing player..but his lack of shooting ability will be his down fall when it matters most..the scary part isn't now at age 22...it's the idea of what he's gonna be in his prime (25-27yr)

[lilbthebasedgod]

lmbo haha yeah we shouldn't praise a 22 year old putting up numbers on par with one of the greatest players of all time just because he did it in the 90s ok

[Phenomanul]

lmbo haha yeah we shouldn't praise a 22 year old putting up numbers on par with one of the greatest players of all time just because he did it in the 90s ok

I think you missed the whole point of the thread... :shootme

[Spurtacular]

Robinson was the 4th such athletic "freak" over 6-10" in basketball...

Wilt Chamberlain
Artis Gilmore
Hakeem Olajuwon
David Robinson
Shawn Kemp (not quite as good as the others - least talented on the list - but doted with the same physical tools)
Shaquille O'Neal (most underutilized talent on this list - especially on the defensive end)
Kevin Garnett (not nearly as fast or as strong but equally versatile)
Anthony Davis
Giannis Antetokounmpo

D-Rob and Wilt are in another stratosphere if we're talking size and athleticism in a combo.

[lilbthebasedgod]

I think you missed the whole point of the thread... :shootme

I mean, no one takes away from Robinson. He is extremely well respected by the media, fans, and pretty much everyone. Praising Giannis doesn't take away from him at all. Maybe I don't get it.

[daslicer]

He definitely reminds me of David Robinson if Robinson was a littler smaller and played the SF. Like other posters have said he does lack the great midrange jumper that Robinson had. He has time to develop a jump shot.

[SpurPadre]

Because he could shoot. His playmaking skills were not as complete as Giannis' are right now (although that may be because Giannis is forced to distribute without a reliable jumper in his arsenal). People do forget that Robinson averaged 4.8 APG the year he averaged 29.8 PPG - which is a remarkable feat from a guy that is 7'-1".

The 4.8 APG also led the team.

[Phenomanul]

I mean, no one takes away from Robinson. He is extremely well respected by the media, fans, and pretty much everyone. Praising Giannis doesn't take away from him at all. Maybe I don't get it.

They are fawning over Giannis like his skill set is radically unprecedented. The fact is that his game, and style aren't completely unprecedented at all.

And yes, Robinson is respected as a person - but his legacy is also unfairly criticized. Some of that stems from Kenny Smith's (and to a lesser extent Reggie Miller's) exaggeration of Hakeem's dominant run to Houston's second title. They have obtained an inordinate amount of screen time to push that particular narrative (by virtue of their current career as NBA talking heads on TNT) - and they willingly do so at David's expense.

YES, Hakeem's Rockets were so good that they swept Shaq's Magic at the height of Shaq's athleticism - and yet those very same Rockets struggled with Robinson's Spurs despite the fact that Dennis Rodman practically gifted them a game in their respective series. Still, in the fan's collective minds Shaq was a greater player than Robinson.

Robinson had a more complete, versatile game - and could actually shoot it from beyond Shaq's limited 4 foot range.
He was dominant on both ends of the floor.
He consistently outperformed Shaq in head-to-head meetings before his back injuries.

But fans don't remember any of that. They consistently rank Shaq in the All-NBA Top 10 and are content to demote Robinson to a Top 40 talent level. When they're likely both closer to Top 15.

[Cry Havoc]

He's 22. If the Spurs got him what would this forum be saying about Giannis?

[KDKSpurs24]

He's 22. If the Spurs got him what would this forum be saying about Giannis?
EXACTLY. People need to sit back and actually ask themselves that question. Because I know for a FACT that if he were on our team people would already be claiming that we have the future GOAT. So people need to stop hating (whoever that is) and respect this man’s performances.

[Cry Havoc]

EXACTLY. People need to sit back and actually ask themselves that question. Because I know for a FACT that if he were on our team people would already be claiming that we have the future GOAT. So people need to stop hating (whoever that is) and respect this man’s performances.

In fairness we'd probably have a contingent of Spurstalkers who would argue for him not being able to play the 4 and therefore stating he should come off the bench behind Green. Lol.

[TimDunkem]

In fairness we'd probably have a contingent of Spurstalkers who would argue for him not being able to play the 4 and therefore stating he should come off the bench behind Green. Lol.

I'm sure there are a handful of guys here who wouldn't trade Green for Giannis straight up. :lol

[UZER]

EXACTLY. People need to sit back and actually ask themselves that question. Because I know for a FACT that if he were on our team people would already be claiming that we have the future GOAT. So people need to stop hating (whoever that is) and respect this man’s performances.

For me, it's not hating in his performances, it's the fact that he's being thrust to the forefront of the MVP conversation. Right now he's a freak. A damn good freak, but still just a freak. No way in hell an MVP candidate. And it's crazy how hard this narrative is being driven.

[Mikeanaro]

Overrated, if he was a Spur those numbers would dip with intensity since this is not a showtime team.
Just imagine Kawhi in Milwaukee...

[KDKSpurs24]

In fairness we'd probably have a contingent of Spurstalkers who would argue for him not being able to play the 4 and therefore stating he should come off the bench behind Green. Lol.
Probably true! Lol

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

:tu I'm glad you included Artis. People forget how athletic he was, too. Young Artis was a true athletic freak.


I'd put Giannis behind all of those. But he is a great player, and the league needs someone upcoming to hype I guess. The league is now setup to be a 3 point shooting fest. I'm pretty happy about seeing anyone with a different skillset.

I miss the days where guys like Mark Eaton and Billy Paultz were considered quality contributors. Eaton wouldn't even get a 10 day contract in today's NBA.

[KDKSpurs24]

For me, it's not hating in his performances, it's the fact that he's being thrust to the forefront of the MVP conversation. Right now he's a freak. A damn good freak, but still just a freak. No way in hell an MVP candidate. And it's crazy how hard this narrative is being driven.
Well it’s the beginning of the season and he has the best performances along with his team having one of the better records in the league so I’m fine with it. Early reactions happen in every sport. It’s a great talking point. We’ll see if he keeps it up. If he does and his team does well then it’s his MVP to lose. Unless Blake Griffin can hold Clippers near the top of the West(unlikely) there will only be a few others who can take it away.

[Play Boban]

We've seen it before...

It's what David Robinson did on a nightly basis for the Spurs back in the early 90's...

Long, tall, fast, quick, strong...

Could fill up any of the categories on any given night:
Points
Rebounds
Blocks
Steals

Robinson was a more consistent shooter though (despite his odd release).

It's a shame people are willing to believe the pundits and mar his legacy based solely on the outcome of one series - especially sad if they are self-proclaimed Spurs fans.

Robinson was the 4th such athletic "freak" over 6-10" in basketball...

Wilt Chamberlain
Artis Gilmore
Hakeem Olajuwon
David Robinson
Shawn Kemp (not quite as good as the others - least talented on the list - but doted with the same physical tools)
Shaquille O'Neal (most underutilized talent on this list - especially on the defensive end)
Kevin Garnett (not nearly as fast or as strong but equally versatile)
Anthony Davis
Giannis Antetokounmpo

:cry

[Phenomanul]

EXACTLY. People need to sit back and actually ask themselves that question. Because I know for a FACT that if he were on our team people would already be claiming that we have the future GOAT. So people need to stop hating (whoever that is) and respect this man’s performances.

I'm not hating on Giannis at all... the whole point of the thread was to point to the folly of media pundits and talking heads that collectively have short and inconsistent memories.

Giannis IS playing very well and deserves to be lauded for his play. It's just silly in my mind when I hear the likes of Reggie Miller suggest that they've never seen anyone like him before. As in seriously? Really? This is the same guy who has repeatedly said of The Admiral that "he went AWOL below decks" against Houston. I guess, he gets a pass for folding against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. Gimme a break - the Los Angeles Lakers HAD more talent and as the better team they were supposed to win their matchup against the Pacers. The Rockets, likewise, had more talent than the Spurs and so it follows that they won that series based on the collective talent of the team. To suggest that the Spurs lost the 1995 series because David choked is unfair to Robinson's legacy - and it annoys me to constantly hear them perpetuating said fallacy. His logic is conveniently inconsistent, as he doesn't seem to apply it to himself.

So no... I'm not dissing Antetokoumpo. He has been amazing thus far.

In fact, I wish Giannis and Kawhi were paired off and surrounded by shooters. GSW would not know what hit them.

[Phenomanul]

:tu I'm glad you included Artis. People forget how athletic he was, too. Young Artis was a true athletic freak.


I'd put Giannis behind all of those. But he is a great player, and the league needs someone upcoming to hype I guess. The league is now setup to be a 3 point shooting fest. I'm pretty happy about seeing anyone with a different skillset.

I miss the days where guys like Mark Eaton and Billy Paultz were considered quality contributors. Eaton wouldn't even get a 10 day contract in today's NBA.

I was debating on including Dennis Rodman in the list. But his skillset was sooooooooo extremely limited on the offensive side of the court that it warranted no further consideration. But yeah, Artis was one truly gifted freak on the court. Another one I considered was Dwight Howard, but like Rodman - though not to the same degree - he has been wholly inconsistent on the offensive end of the floor.

The pattern is that we see one to two such generational players every decade or so.