Alright, look. The caveat to start here is that it’s just preseason. Nothing that happens on the basketball court in the NBA matters to this point.
But, man. It really feels like Giannis Antetokounmpo has figured something out. Something clicked in the NBA Finals — he gave us legitimately one of the best Finals performances we’ve ever seen.
The one knock people had on Antetokounmpo was that you had to make him shoot. He was never good at shooting jumpers and, beyond that, he just never looked comfortable doing it, either. It was always a win for the defense.
In the Finals, Antetokounmpo figured that out. He got into the spaces he needed to get into without having to take jump shots. And when he did? He hit them. He shot midrange jumpers and floaters and turnaround post fades with ease. He became the best player in the world.
And it feels like some of that may carry over into this regular season. If his performance in the preseason against the Jazz is any indication? It looks like it will.
Antetokounmpo hit jumper after jumper after jumper against the Jazz. It was absolutely terrifying.
Hell nah pic.twitter.com/vJCmRNpO3F
— PBD (@NBAYOUNGDREW) October 14, 2021
Whew boy. The league is in trouble — big trouble — if Antetokounmpo is hitting this consistently.
NBA fans everywhere took notice.
Giannis New Jumper looks so clean 🤤 pic.twitter.com/oBu6rWSfEN
— Jake Reetz (@jajareetz) October 14, 2021
Is it just me or does Giannis’ jumper look way smoother pic.twitter.com/EAAvc8JSMY
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) October 14, 2021
Bro Giannis startin to scare me. He forreal got a smoother jumper and I ain't joking
— Deezy⚡ (@DozMan98) October 14, 2021
Giannis jumper looking legit pic.twitter.com/SkqATx3GF8
— They Want Me Dead Like Pac (@KingMosesDaGod) October 14, 2021
Giannis has a jumper now. MVP, DPOY, and 35-15-8 season on the way pic.twitter.com/NB1r3UlpoE
— 𝐔𝐍𝐂 (@notwashedcnu) October 14, 2021
Giannis jumper looking cleaner, more flow and his upper and lower body seem somewhat synchronized pic.twitter.com/M3Hx5aWnw0
— HTB ♨️ (@HenryTheBlasian) October 14, 2021
Can’t wait to hear every announcer say “you’ll live with that shot by Giannis” every time he hits a jumper
— Extended Bud 🦌✭ (@EAisascam23) October 14, 2021
GIANNIS JUMPER>>>> pic.twitter.com/5t2pBMmGdB
— HEEL🦌🏆Ω (@HOLLYWODHUNKSZN) October 14, 2021
If Giannis now has a pull-up elbow jumper ITS A WRAP for everyone else pic.twitter.com/oC13gIYj1e
— Weston Blasi (@westonblasi) October 14, 2021
Giannis’ jumper from last year to now looks so much cleaner and faster pic.twitter.com/gUZVneV7dK
— Tony Clements (@TonyCMKE) October 14, 2021
Im celebrating every Giannis jumper like we won the chip again
— Jonathan Gauthier (@jgauthier_23) October 14, 2021
nah if this is in the bag forreal then it's curtains https://t.co/38M0HXTtHq
— Dom2K🎃👻🧟♂️ (@Dom_2k) October 14, 2021
Giannis got a jumper now? pic.twitter.com/IdpNtIwveT
— ⚡️ (@Casualhoopsfan) October 14, 2021
Hold on Giannis jumper looking nice pic.twitter.com/YEy8jTzCRF
— 22 ®️ (@22isthegoat) October 14, 2021
The NBA might be on notice, man. If this pullup jumper is the next evolution in Giannis’ game, it’s a wrap.
Good luck this season.
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