Antetokounmpo shares his changing stance on the league's 65-game rule for regular-season awards after injuries have sidelined multiple superstars this season.
The NBA's 65-game rule was created to stop load management and make sure fans can see the league's best players on the court more often, but injuries have turned this season into a nightmare for some of the game's biggest names.
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is now speaking out about the rule, saying it's time for the league to get rid of it.
After Milwaukee's 105-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, Antetokounmpo shared his thoughts on the 65-game rule that players need to meet if they want to be in the running for MVP, All-NBA, and other major awards.
Giannis Changes His Mind on the Rule
"I was all for it because it could benefit me at first but as I get older I'm like 'ah take it off, take it off,'" Antetokounmpo said. "But these are the rules and you just gotta play by the rules. Who's going to be available, just Shai? So it's up in the air."
The two-time MVP makes a fair point when you look at the big names who have dealt with injuries this season.
Nikola Jokic suffered a hyperextended knee on December 29 and is expected to miss at least four weeks, which will almost certainly knock him out of the MVP race he was leading.
Victor Wembanyama missed 12 games with a calf strain earlier this year and has had to deal with knee soreness since returning.
LeBron James has already missed 17 games due to foot and sciatica issues, putting him right at the limit of the rule and threatening his 21-year All-NBA streak.
Giannis himself has missed 14 games between a groin strain and a calf injury that kept him out for eight games in December.
The Bucks Are Rolling With Giannis Back
The good news for Milwaukee is that things are looking up since Antetokounmpo returned to the lineup.
The Bucks (17-21) went just 3-11 without him this season, but they've gone 5-2 since he came back on December 28.
Giannis has been his usual dominant self, putting up efficient numbers while getting his legs back under him after the injury layoff.
In the win over the Lakers, Antetokounmpo scored 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting to go along with six rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and two steals.
He even sealed the game by stripping LeBron James in the final seconds.
The Bucks now sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference and are half a game behind the Chicago Bulls for the 10th spot and a play-in berth.
SGA and the MVP Race
Antetokounmpo's joke about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being the only one available rings true when you look at who's healthy.
The reigning MVP has played in 36 of the Thunder's (32-7) 39 games and is averaging 31.9 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game.
Oklahoma City has the best record in the NBA, and Gilgeous-Alexander is now the heavy favorite to repeat as MVP simply because so many of his competitors are hurt.
The 65-game rule was added before the 2023-24 season as part of the league's push to get stars on the court more and make the regular season matter.
But when players like Jokic, Giannis, Wembanyama, and LeBron are missing games due to real injuries rather than rest days, the rule starts to feel like it's punishing bad luck instead of lazy behavior.
For now, Antetokounmpo says he'll keep trying to hit the 65-game mark, but he's already missed 14 games and can only afford to sit out three more the rest of the way.
With Milwaukee fighting for their playoff lives and Giannis just getting back to full strength, the Bucks will need their star healthy down the stretch no matter what it means for awards season.