Is Giannis Antetokounmpo Overrated?by Christopher Davis
The short answer is no, is most definitely not overrated. Giannis Antetokounmpo was drafted in the 2013 NBA draft pick 15 by the Milwaukee Bucks. He is a 6’11 small/power forward with a 7’3 wingspan. In 2019 Giannis averaged 29.5 points with a 55.3 field goal percentage while playing an average 30.4 mins per game. Many people could make the argument that he is overrated because he just recently became a serious threat to other teams between 2015-2017. Even though he is one of the most dominant players in the league today he still hasn’t made a finals appearance, but Giannis has carried to the Bucks to their fourth consecutive playoff appearance.
Giannis needs some help; he can’t do it all himself especially with the current Buck’s roster. You could say that Giannis is like the modern-day Scottie Pippen, a great player but a player that needed help. Scottie had Jordan and Giannis has nobody. If the Bucks could find Giannis some help find him a player that could be his Michael Jordan, Giannis will win a championship within the next couple years. Giannis could even develop a 3-point shot and if he does that, he might be able to take the Bucks to the finals himself, I’m not saying they’d win but they would make an appearance. Now if the Bucks could make it to the finals then that would open an opportunity for the Bucks to trade good players on bad teams for example Devin Booker. Hypothetically if the Bucks could get Devin Booker, they might be able to win the finals, Devin Booker is a young player with that has already shown his skill and that is the type of player Giannis needs.
Giannis won the MIP (most improved player) award back in 2017 then he won the MVP (most valuable player) and the DPOY (defensive player of the year) award in 2019 so he joins Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon, and if Giannis wins the 2020 MVP award then he’ll be the only player to win the award while averaging under 31 mins of play. Giannis was even in the MVP race with Lebron James and its very hard to compete with a player like Lebron. So basically, Giannis is not overrated, people just say that because he hasn’t made a finals appearance but that could change if the Bucks could get him some more help or they say that because he just recently became a known player in the league even though he’s one of the most dominant today. He’s only been in the league for 7 years so could still show improvement over the course of the next couple years. Giannis is on the road to becoming a hall of famer and we are watching a superstar in the making.
Is Kawhi Leonard Actually Overrated?by Theo Yardley
Some basketball pundits have floated the assertion that Kawhi Leonard is the best player in the NBA. After leading the Toronto Raptors to their first ever championship over the mighty (if at the time injury wracked) Golden State Warriors it was not a wholly inane claim to make. However, the way things played out in The Bubble, simply shows how ridiculous this idea truly is. Pure hyperbole. His accomplishments are impressive and he is no doubt a top ten player in the league, but Kawhi Leonard is without a doubt overrated. As a two-time finals, MVP on two different teams, and a two time defensive player of the year he is a dominant force on both ends of the court. However, there are players I would choose over him to lead my team to championship glory.
If we look at the two championships he won. His performances were no doubt integral to the success of the team, but those who began to hype him up as possibly the best player in the world have somewhat overlooked the sizable contributions his teammates made for him to succeed. That Spurs team in 2014, still had Parker, Ginobili and Duncan. The Raptors were an excellent team this year even after he left, making it one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals. The Clippers team Kawhi had assembled around him was in my opinion the deepest and most talented roster in the NBA this year. His failure, and the team’s failure to even reach the Western Conference Finals kill any real arguments pundits made about his true greatness.
He is a great player, but he is not better than LeBron James as pundits like First Take’s Max Kellerman have claimed in the past. In my opinion if you put Stephen Curry or LeBron James on that Clippers team this year, that team wins it all. His offensive skill set and playmaking abilities are good, but not in the same class as Curry or LeBron. Kawhi Leonard is still an exceptional player, but he has become overrated as The King still reigns supreme in the NBA.
Who is the GOAT?by Theo Yardley
To be considered the greatest of all time in one’s pursuit in life, is an honor like no other. In the world of sport there is perhaps no greater debate in our current moment than who is the greatest basketball player in the history of the game. While some might pose a different answer, the only two true contenders in my mind are Michael Jordan and LeBron James. As LeBron James guided the Lakers to their 17th championship, and the 4th in his already storied career, this debate has exploded as never before. He is 35 years old yet seems to show no signs of slowing down, with dozens of records already broken and seemingly more to come. The only question remaining is whether LeBron James has equaled or risen above Michael Jordan as the greatest of all time.
Even though I never got the privilege of seeing him play in his prime my gut feeling still gives the slight edge to Michael Jordan. He has a mystical invincible aura about him, where at the zenith of his powers there has in my mind never been anyone better. However, looking at the legacy of LeBron James he deserves to be considered as perhaps Jordan’s only true equal. While Jordan has an ethereal quality to his greatness, LeBron's legacy instead lies in the power of his voice on and off the court. Jordan never faced the era of social media and the internet that has dominated LeBron’s career. There is little mysticism left because we know too much.
LeBron’s legacy lies not only on his unparalleled achievements on the basketball court but also the way he has used his platform for good in the world. While Jordan has often remained apolitical, LeBron James has refused to just “shut up and dribble.” Using his power and wealth to push for social justice and equality in this country. While on the basketball court he can never undo the six finals losses he has suffered, and he will never be considered the consensus GOAT, he has already done enough where there will always be a spirited debate with no clear winner between who is the greatest of these two titans of the sport.
How Dak’s Injury Affects His Future in Dallas by Max Estabrook
Midway through the third quarter last Sunday against the Giants, fifth-year Cowboys starter Dak Prescott saw a huge question mark attached to his NFL future. An unfortunate tackle left him with a compound fracture and dislocation in his right ankle, requiring emergency surgery and up to 6 months of recovery. This was devastating not only for the team and fans, but for the entire NFL fanbase who have seen Dak grow so much while managing the most scrutinized position in all of football, starting quarterback for America’s team. This was also a big year for Dak himself, who this past offseason hoped to sign a long-term deal after his rookie contract, but instead settled for a franchise tag worth over $31 million. This upcoming offseason he was looking to secure a lucrative long-term deal and become one of the NFL’s highest paid players.
The 27-year old has been phenomenal since entering the league five years ago alongside his fellow 2016 draft class running back Ezekiel Elliott. As a rookie he led them to the playoffs as the #1 seed in the NFC, but since then the team has not quite reached the heights they were hoping for, despite his overall 42-27 record. However, this year looked promising. Playing in the dismal NFC East the Cowboys had a good shot at winning the division, despite their slow start. If the Cowboys had started winning games this season one could say that Dak would’ve been a heavy contender in the MVP race, alongside Russel Wilson. Through 4 games Dak was obliterating the field in total yards, nearly 1,700 yards, which had him on pace for a ridiculous 6000+ plus season. Unfortunately, that potential record is gone and Dak’s contract hopes are now in limbo.
Over this past offseason the front office had offered a five-year deal worth around $175 million, but Prescott was adamant about a four-year deal. Rumor had that he pushed a five-year deal for $185 million, but neither side would budge, and this injury adds further complications to the deal. On one hand the health of Prescott is uncertain, but on the other hand he is still worth the money he was asking for. If the Cowboys refuse a deal and want to franchise tag Prescot again they will have to pay him nearly $38 million, due to the CBA mandated 20% raise. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the league has seen a drop in revenue, which could lead to a salary cap much lower than predicted for the 2021 season. Dallas has 42 players under contract for next year and only about $25 million in cap space room, which would mean needing to restructure contracts in order to accommodate a second franchise tag. To franchise tag Dak for a third year would require $54 million for one year, so the pressure is on the front office to secure a more feasible long-term deal. For comparison, Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson was recently paid a four-year contract that averaged at $39 million a year, a number that the Cowboys may have to surpass pending Dak’s success in recovery.
Negotiations are prohibited until the end of the season, so it will be intriguing to see how the Cowboys fair under Andy Dalton. Regardless of how the team does without Prescott, he is their best shot at Super Bowl contention. After the game, ownership stated that they still want Dak long into the future, so I do not anticipate them letting him walk in free agency. However, if there is no deal made this offseason, Dak’s future in Dallas is highly questionable.
Midway through the third quarter last Sunday against the Giants, fifth-year Cowboys starter Dak Prescott saw a huge question mark attached to his NFL future. An unfortunate tackle left him with a compound fracture and dislocation in his right ankle, requiring emergency surgery and up to 6 months of recovery. This was devastating not only for the team and fans, but for the entire NFL fanbase who have seen Dak grow so much while managing the most scrutinized position in all of football, starting quarterback for America’s team. This was also a big year for Dak himself, who this past offseason hoped to sign a long-term deal after his rookie contract, but instead settled for a franchise tag worth over $31 million. This upcoming offseason he was looking to secure a lucrative long-term deal and become one of the NFL’s highest paid players.
The 27-year old has been phenomenal since entering the league five years ago alongside his fellow 2016 draft class running back Ezekiel Elliott. As a rookie he led them to the playoffs as the #1 seed in the NFC, but since then the team has not quite reached the heights they were hoping for, despite his overall 42-27 record. However, this year looked promising. Playing in the dismal NFC East the Cowboys had a good shot at winning the division, despite their slow start. If the Cowboys had started winning games this season one could say that Dak would’ve been a heavy contender in the MVP race, alongside Russel Wilson. Through 4 games Dak was obliterating the field in total yards, nearly 1,700 yards, which had him on pace for a ridiculous 6000+ plus season. Unfortunately, that potential record is gone and Dak’s contract hopes are now in limbo.
Over this past offseason the front office had offered a five-year deal worth around $175 million, but Prescott was adamant about a four-year deal. Rumor had that he pushed a five-year deal for $185 million, but neither side would budge, and this injury adds further complications to the deal. On one hand the health of Prescott is uncertain, but on the other hand he is still worth the money he was asking for. If the Cowboys refuse a deal and want to franchise tag Prescot again they will have to pay him nearly $38 million, due to the CBA mandated 20% raise. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the league has seen a drop in revenue, which could lead to a salary cap much lower than predicted for the 2021 season. Dallas has 42 players under contract for next year and only about $25 million in cap space room, which would mean needing to restructure contracts in order to accommodate a second franchise tag. To franchise tag Dak for a third year would require $54 million for one year, so the pressure is on the front office to secure a more feasible long-term deal. For comparison, Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson was recently paid a four-year contract that averaged at $39 million a year, a number that the Cowboys may have to surpass pending Dak’s success in recovery.
Negotiations are prohibited until the end of the season, so it will be intriguing to see how the Cowboys fair under Andy Dalton. Regardless of how the team does without Prescott, he is their best shot at Super Bowl contention. After the game, ownership stated that they still want Dak long into the future, so I do not anticipate them letting him walk in free agency. However, if there is no deal made this offseason, Dak’s future in Dallas is highly questionable.