LeBron James recently paid Giannis Antetokounmpo a huge compliment, saying he would have dominated past eras of basketball, specifically the 1970s. While he was flattered, Antetokounmpo wasn’t sure that was a fair comparison.
In an interview with “The Pat McAfee Show,” James said Antetokounmpo could drop “250 points” in a single game in the 70s. Following the Bucks‘ 116-107 loss to the New York Knicks on Friday night, Antetokounmpo responded to that praise, leading with a lighthearted quip.
“I think in the 70s, it would be more like 275 (points), not 250,” Antetokounmpo joked.
The Bucks superstar went on to explain that he prefers not to compare eras. The game has changed in the five decades since then, and modern players are working with more information.
“Great compliment, but I don’t like comparing eras,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s not fair. If I played in the 70s, how everybody practiced and how everybody played, that’s all you knew at the time. The game evolves. We’ve gotten to 2020, and we know more. … You cannot compare this era with that era.”
With hindsight, it’s easy to say Antetokounmpo would dominate in the 70s, especially given how much work players do on and off the court these days. Without that, Antetokounmpo says, he would be very similar to the players of that era.
“I’d probably play the same way they played if I played in the ’70s,” Antetokounmpo said.
Antetokounmpo may not be dropping 250 points on a nightly basis, but he’s still plenty dominant in the modern era. The two-time MVP and 2021 NBA champion is averaging 30.2 points, 12.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game this season.
