Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the NBA 2019-20 season, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced Friday.
"It feels good to get this award announced when I'm back home here in Athens, Greece. I'm happy for this award, but I want more," Antetokounmpo said during the televised announcement show on NBA TV.
Announcing the award, Silver said on NBA TV: "I'm going to ship it to Greece."
Antetokounmpo responded, saying: "No, don't do that. I'll come get it when the season starts."
Antetokounmpo also clinched Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award this season and joined the legends Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon to get the MVP and DPOY awards in the same season.
"Michael Jordan, one of the best players who's ever done it, if not the best. 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," he added.
Antetokounmpo also turned down moderator Ernie Johnson when he asked whether he could call him a two-time MVP, saying: "Don't call me a two-time MVP until I'm a champion."
He became the 12th player in the league history to win back-to-back MVPs. Previously, the back-to-back award recipients were Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.
The 25-year-old averaged 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists this season with Milwaukee Bucks.
Meanwhile, Miami Heat defeated Milwaukee Bucks 103-94 in Game 5 to win the series 4-1.
