Giannis set to become first MVP to feature at a FIBA World Cup
Unlike previous winners of the NBA MVP Award, Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to make history with his participation for Greece at the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV!
After a stellar season leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the best record in the league and to the Eastern Conference Finals, Antetokounmpo beat out the likes of Houston Rockets’ James Harden and former Oklahoma City Thunder star Paul George for the league’s MVP award.
Now, Antetokounmpo is hoping to lead Greece to their first-ever FIBA World Cup title as the 2006 finalists aim to go one step further in China next month.
Ending a three-year hiatus from the Ethniki, Antetokounmpo will not only join his older brother Thanasis on the path to glory but also become the first reigning NBA MVP to compete at a FIBA World Cup.
With the MVP award being dominated by American-born players in years past, perhaps it’s not a surprise that former winners have never followed-up their MVP success with a tournament appearance that same summer.
Regardless, there is an impressive list of players to have captured the NBA MVP award in years past that have, for a variety of reasons, not featured for their national team that same summer.
It is believed that this related to the prominence of basketball at the Olympics compared to an event like the FIBA World Cup, a reality that could change with Antetokounmpo’s participation at this summer’s showcase.
List of NBA MVP Award Winners in FIBA World Cup Seasons
1959: Bob Pettit, United States
1963: Bill Russell, United States
1967: Wilt Chamberlain, United States
1970: Willis Reed, United States
1974: Kareem Abdul-Jabber, United States
1978: Bill Walton, United States
1982: Moses Malone, United States
1986: Larry Bird, United States
1990: Magic Johnson, United States
1994: Hakeem Olajuwon, United States
1998: Michael Jordan, United States
2002: Tim Duncan, United States
2006: Steve Nash, Canada*
2010: LeBron James, United States
2014: Kevin Durant, United States
2019: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece
* Canada didn’t qualify for the 2006 FIBA World Cup.
