Giannis Antetokounmpo crowned MVP after stellar 2019-20 NBA regular season with the Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the second straight year on Friday, becoming the first European player to win the award twice.

Antetokounmpo won by a landslide to beat Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James to the prize, receiving 85 of the 101 first-place votes from a global panel of sports writers and broadcasters. James received only 16. Houston Rockets guard James Harden finished third.

The 25-year-old Greek powerhouse was also named the Defensive Player of the Year this month, joining Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan and Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win both awards in the same season.

‘Michael Jordan, one of the best players who’s ever done it, if not the best,” said Antetokounmpo, speaking from Greece.

‘Hakeem, a guy that I look up to, he came from where I’m from, Nigeria, where I have roots.

‘Just being in the same sentence with them, that means a lot to me.’

Antetokounmpo dominated this season averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists in just 30.4 minute per game as the Bucks finished with a 56-17 record to top the Eastern Conference.

The Bucks were, however, eliminated in the Conference semi-finals by the Miami Heat who won the series 4-1.

‘I’m happy for this award, but I want more,’ continued Antetokounmpo. ‘I want to be a champion.’