ESPN released its yearly preseason player rankings, and there was a shakeup in the top four.
While Nikola Jokic remains atop the list as the No. 1 basketball player in the world, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a spot from No. 3 to No. 4, behind only Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
While Antetokounmpo is still very obviously one of the best players in the world, ESPN's writers feel he's been overtaken by the up-and-comers who have made more noise in the postseason recently.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Surpassed by Luka Doncic, SGA
Jamal Collier detailed Antetokounmpo's sustained appearances among lists of the best players in the NBA.
"Antetokounmpo is coming off a season in which he averaged a 30-point double-double and finished second in the league in scoring, behind only SGA. If the Bucks had finished higher in the standings, he would have gotten more MVP love, but he still secured a top-four finish in voting for the seventh consecutive season," wrote Collier.
"Milwaukee's dominant big man is showing no signs of slowing down, reinventing his game by trading in 3s for more midrange jumpers, and it has made him even more efficient. Antetokounmpo remains, perhaps, the league's premier two-way threat, but he hasn't played in even the conference semifinals since 2022."
Considering the two players who jumped Antetokounmpo in the rankings have more recent success in the NBA playoffs, it has to be the reason the Greek Freak dropped to No. 4.
Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to the finals less than two years ago, and Gilgeous-Alexander is coming off one of the most impressive seasons in recent NBA history, securing league MVP, and leading the Thunder to their first championship while also earning Finals MVP.
If Antetokounmpo wants to be considered in the conversation for best player in the league, he's going to need to lead the Bucks on a deep postseason run, something they haven't been able to do in quite some time.
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