Giannis Antetokounmpo

EA Sports announced Thursday two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers, Milwaukee Bucks teammate Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Kostas Antetokounmpo of the Los Angeles Lakers, are being added to Madden NFL 21 as part of an NBA crossover.   

All three Antetokounmpo brothers will be playable characters in "The Yard," a new mode inspired by backyard football, and Giannis will also be available in the video game's "Superstar KO."

Gamers can deck out the brothers in custom gear aimed at celebrating the family's Greek heritage for when they take the field in The Yard.

They are the first NBA players to ever appear in the storied Madden franchise.

Giannis previously joked he could have made it to the NFL as a long snapper—he initially referred to the position as a pitcher, highlighting the European superstar's limited football knowledge—after completing a long between-the-legs pass in a January 2018 game:

It's not the first time EA Sports has utilized a crossover, though.

NHL 20 featured Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen and Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry.

Madden NFL 21 was released Aug. 28 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. It'll also be available on the next generation of consoles, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, when they debut in November.

With a shortage of elite-level NBA free agents and win-now shoppers with cap space, this offseason could be defined by trades.

It's the best transformational tool available to most teams. Whether clubs are gearing up for a playoff run or tearing down after a disappointing postseason, there's likely a trade partner out there.

The potential for an active trade market is so rich that the rumor mill is already buzzing. We'll get to the latest whispers below.

Sixers See D'Antoni as Possible Bridge to Harden?

The Philadelphia 76ers have kept fairly coy about their offseason plans, save for a desire to keep Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons and, as general manager Elton Brand put it, "complement them better."

Philly will apparently leave no stone unturned in that pursuit.

The Sixers are chasing Mike D'Antoni to fill their coaching vacancy. As Keith Pompey reported for the Philadelphia Inquirer, "the job is D'Antoni's to turn down." If Philly lands D'Antoni, it could then shift its attention to three-time scoring champ and former MVP James Harden, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark:

Getting Harden out of Houston won't be easy (or cheap), although that organization may require an overhaul sooner rather than later.

The questions are whether the Sixers have the trade chips to get Harden and whether his isolation style could mesh with Embiid and Simmons. The talent level would be overwhelming, but that's a tricky puzzle for any coach to solve.

Bucks Won't Chase the Point God?

For the second straight year, the Milwaukee Bucks were the regular season's best team and one of the postseason's biggest disappointments. Their offense malfunctioned at the worst possible time, and given how they have to be feeling the unyielding pressure of Giannis Antetokounmpo's 2021 free agency, it's hard to imagine them trusting status quo to figure this out.

They are seemingly in desperate need of a shakeup. More specifically, they need more creativity and shooting in the half court, ideally from someone who doesn't force them to miss a beat on defense.

If you think it sounds like they need Chris Paul, you're not alone. That's among the most common (and most logical) trade-machine masterpieces you will see this offseason.

The only problem is the decision-makers in Milwaukee may not agree, as The Athletic's Sam Amick told Michael Scotto on The HoopsHype Podcast.

"Myself and Eric Nehm, who covers the Bucks for us, have two sources telling us that the Bucks have zero plans of pursuing a Chris Paul trade," Amick said.

Look, maybe that's posturing on Milwaukee's end, as the majority opinion that the Bucks need Paul can't help them grab any leverage. But if it's not, Bucks brass better have something else up its sleeve. The hierarchy can't expect Antetokounmpo to commit to the franchise long term without a clear plan to improve the roster around him.

Cavs Shopping No. 5 Pick?

The Cleveland Cavaliers are eager to accelerate their latest post-LeBron James rebuild. They are hoping the No. 5 pick will help them do that, though not necessarily with the prospect selected in that spot.

"The Cavs will be active this offseason," cleveland.com's Chris Fedor reported. "They will explore trade opportunities, using the No. 5 pick as bait."

With less-than-stellar reviews given to this draft class, it's no major surprise the Cavaliers would consider moving their pick. But there are several reasons to wonder whether it will work.

For starters, they have 19 wins to show for each of the past two seasons. Their most important player going forward is either Collin Sexton, a 21-year-old scoring specialist, or Kevin Porter Jr., an intriguing but raw 20-year-old who needs more time to put it all together. There are scenarios wherein shopping an early pick makes sense. But on the surface, this isn't one of them.

Plus, the Cavs aren't the only team interested in exploring that market, and they don't hold the best picks on the table. The Minnesota Timberwolves are expected to entertain trade offers for the first selection, per The Athletic's Sam Vecenie. Golden State Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers has said they will "consider" trading out of the No. 2 slot.

If those picks are up for grabs, how much can the Cavaliers realistically expect to get for No. 5? Probably not enough to justify the sacrifice given the state of their rebuild.

Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas declared this week that Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will be the greatest NBA player of all time by the time he retires.

Thomas said the following in an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated:

"I admire his insatiable appetite to be on top and stay on top. I've never seen a player dominate so many statistical categories. We've had players dominate certain areas, but we've never seen a player that truly does it all. And he's done it, without fail, for 17 years. For now, Kareem is the best that's ever done it. But by the time he's done, LeBron James will be the best we have ever seen play the game of basketball."

James finished second to Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in MVP voting this season, but he is proving his worth in the playoffs, as L.A. holds a 2-0 series lead over the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

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In this his second season with the Lakers, LeBron may be closing in on his fourth career NBA title, as he previously won two with the Miami Heat and one with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

To go along with his championships, James is a 16-time All-Star, four-time MVP and three-time Finals MVP.

James already compares favorably to Abdul-Jabbar, as Kareem was a 19-time All-Star, six-time champion, six-time MVP and two-time Finals MVP.

Abdul-Jabbar ranks first on the all-time scoring list with 38,387 points, but LeBron is already third with 34,241 points and is showing no signs of slowing down at 35 years of age.

The GOAT debate usually involves James and Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan, but Thomas' well-documented bad blood will MJ over the years may have something to do with why Thomas put Kareem in that spot instead.

Regardless, there is no doubt Abdul-Jabbar is one of the best to ever do it, as is LeBron, but James seems to have several years of high-level basketball left in him, which could put him above all others a few years from now.

Zion Williamson might only have 24 games under his belt, but one NBA executive is already prepared to group the New Orleans Pelicans rookie in with some of the league's best scorers inside. 

"He's just a special player inside the arc who's an elite finisher," the executive said to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. "Offensively, he can finish at an elite rate. He's one of the best finishers behind Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and LeBron [James]. He can hit the open man. He's so physically dominant. His shooting shouldn't be a problem, but we'll see. I think he's always going to be hurt, though."

Williamson shot 68.0 percent from the field and 74.7 percent from inside the arc during his one season at Duke. At 6'7" and 285 pounds, he was simply too big and strong for the competition at that level.

One question was whether Williamson's physical tools would be as much of an asset right out of the gate in the NBA. He answered the skeptics by hitting 58.3 percent of his shots and averaging 6.3 rebounds, including 2.7 boards on the offensive end.

According to NBA.com, he shot 62.3 percent in the restricted area. That's a few percentage points lower than James (68.7 percent) and well below Antetokounmpo (74.2 percent). Still, nobody should expect Williamson to be at that level already.

The 20-year-old showed how he wasn't merely a battering ram in the post. He's also developing the skills to make the most of his gifts.

The executive referenced the biggest variable for Williamson going forward. Between his frame and his above-the-rim style, the 2019 No. 1 overall pick could put a significant strain on his knees. He already underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus last October.

A GM concurred with the executive's assessment on both fronts: "I think Zion is a superstar unless he suffers injuries, which is possible. I didn't like how he moved in the bubble."

The Pelicans made a concerted effort to monitor his workload to avoid another injury, and it's impossible to say how long that strategy will be required. Two years removed from his quad injury, the Los Angeles Clippers have continued to carefully manage Kawhi Leonard's minutes.

Williamson's effectiveness on the court will be somewhat muted if the Pelicans feel the need to proactively rest him to preserve his long-term health.

A rare and coveted Giannis Antetokounmpo autographed patch rookie card sold for a record-breaking $1.812 million at auction Sunday night, according to The Action Network's Darren Rovell.

The card, which was up for bid on the Goldin Auctions website, was from the 2013-14 National Treasures set. In addition to being a 1/1 card, Beckett graded the card a 9 and the autograph a 10.

Making the card even more valuable is the fact that the patch is the NBA logo from Giannis' Milwaukee Bucks jersey during his rookie season.

According to TMZ Sports, Goldin Auctions founder Ken Goldin said last week that he anticipated the card possibly reaching the $2 million mark at auction.

The Giannis card is the latest example of the surging card market, as LeBron James and Mike Trout cards have sold for well over $1 million in recent months.

In July, a 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite rookie auto patch card of James numbered to 23 with a 9.5 grade and a 10-graded autograph sold for $1.8 million.

Then, last month, a 2009 Bowman Chrome autographed superfractor Trout rookie card numbered 1/1 sold for $3.9 million, making it the most expensive baseball card ever sold, surpassing the $3.1 million paid for the T206 Honus Wagner card in 2016.

Giannis isn't yet as accomplished as LeBron, but all signs point to him being the face of the NBA once James retires if he isn't already.

In seven NBA seasons, The Greek Freak is a four-time All-Star, and he has been named NBA MVP each of the past two seasons. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award this year as well.

Although the Bucks fell to the Miami Heat in the second round of the playoffs this season, the 25-year-old Giannis had his most productive campaign to date with averages of 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis said Friday that LeBron James' loss to Giannis Antetokounmpo in voting for the 2019-20 NBA Most Valuable Player Award shows there's a problem with the process.

"They kind of choose the MVP before the season even starts," Davis told reporters after the Lakers' 126-114 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

Antetokounmpo claimed the award with 85 of the 101 first-place votes. James received the other 16.

The Houston Rockets' James Harden, Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic and Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard rounded out the top five finishers. Davis ranked sixth.

James didn't hide his frustration with the results after the Lakers' triumph in Game 1.

"Pissed me off. That's my true answer," he told reporters. "It pissed me off, because out of 101 votes, I got 16 first-place votes. That's what pissed me off more than anything. You know, not saying that the winner wasn't deserving of the MVP. But that pissed me off. And I finished second a lot in my career, either from a championship and now four times as an MVP."

Like Davis, he also questioned how much the voters pay attention to what's happening on the floor, though he admitted "Giannis had a hell of a season."

"I don't know how much we are really watching the game," James said in reference to the voting panel.

While both LeBron and Giannis had MVP-worthy seasons, Harden is the player who probably didn't receive enough attention for the league's top individual honor. He was the runaway winner in FiveThirtyEight's RAPTOR WAR metric, which attempts to identify a player's full impact.

Regardless, voters handed the award to Antetokounmpo for the second straight year, and it's hard to say he didn't earn it after leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA's best regular-season record (56-17) while averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists.

The Bucks have been eliminated from the playoffs, however, so James can get the last laugh by winning his fourth career NBA title within the next few weeks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo can envision himself as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks for quite a long time.

"As long as everybody's on the same page and as long as everybody's fighting for the same thing, fighting for the same thing every single day, which is to be a champion, I don't see why not to be in Milwaukee for the next 15 years," he said on TNT after being named this year's NBA MVP.

It isn't the first time the two-time MVP has publicly expressed his loyalty to the Bucks after the team was shockingly eliminated by the Miami Heat in five games during the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

"It's not happening. That's not happening," he told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports on September 8. "Some see a wall and go in [another direction]. I plow through it. We just have to get better as a team, individually and get right back at it next season."

"If winning a championship was easy, everyone would have one," he added at the time. "We lost. Everyone saw that we lost. It's disappointing, but what are we going to do? We're going to keep working. I've got confidence in my teammates."

While Antetokounmpo continues to declare his intention to remain in Milwaukee, he and the Bucks are entering a fascinating year, with the Greek Freak in the last year of his contract.

He has a few options:

• Sign a supermax deal that will keep him in Milwaukee for another five years after his current deal runs up;
• Hit free agency in a year and keep the leverage of potentially leaving to ensure the Bucks make moves to build a better winner around him; or
• Decide to leave and push for a trade at some point before next summer's free agency. 

Given his public remarks, the last option seems unlikely.

Both the supermax route and the free-agency route have their pluses and minuses, however. If he signs the supermax, he'll earn significantly more money than he could in free agency, but he'll lose the leverage to essentially say to the front office, 'Improve this team in the short term or I'll sign elsewhere.' If he hits free agency, he's losing out on millions of dollars but maintains that leverage. 

Granted, he could sign the supermax and demand a trade down the line if Milwaukee—which has been a No. 1 seed two years in a row and failed to reach the NBA Finals in each season—can't build a winner around him. That might be the closest to his "have his cake and eat it too" option. 

The stakes, in other words, are high for Milwaukee's front office. The 25-year-old is justifiably focused on winning titles. If the Bucks can't build a better contender around him, it's fair to assume he'll eventually leave. For now, however, Antetokounmpo seems determined to win in Milwaukee. 

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named NBA MVP for the second consecutive year, the league announced Friday.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski first broke the news.

He's the second player in franchise history to collect back-to-back MVPs, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Antetokounmpo beat out Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, denying James what would've been his fifth MVP to tie him with Bill Russell and Michael Jordan for the second-most all-time.

The Greek Freak set a high bar in 2018-19. He averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists as the Bucks won 60 games.

His numbers were even better this season, and Milwaukee surely would've improved upon its win total had the COVID-19 pandemic not interrupted the NBA season. The league based this year's postseason honors on games through March 11, excluding the eight seeding games after the restart.

The Bucks were first in the Eastern Conference at 53-12, 6.5 games up on the second-place Toronto Raptors. It looked like they might be flirting with history before they started cooling off.

Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, was averaging 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists over nearly two fewer minutes per game. He had also connected on a career-best 83 three-pointers. His long-range shooting remains a work in progress (30.6 percent) but is getting to a point where opponents have to respect his jumper.

The 25-year-old was stifling on the defensive end too. According to NBA.com, he held opposing players to 36.1 percent shooting overall and 31.3 percent on three-pointers. He was simultaneously a capable rim protector and suffocating on the perimeter.

Antetokounmpo was also named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, so he joins Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan as the only players to win DPOY and MVP in the same season. David Robinson and Kevin Garnett are the only other two players to have won both awards in their careers.

His standout performance came in a 122-118 win over the Utah Jazz on Nov. 25. He finished with 50 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and two steals.

"Even without a three-point shot, Giannis was the most unstoppable player in the league this year," Bleacher Report's Sean Highkin wrote of Antetokounmpo in arguing why he deserved to win MVP. "He was unguardable attacking the basket while also setting up shots for his Bucks teammates, all on top of being arguably the NBA's best wing defender."

The Bucks aren't a one-man show since the team has surrounded Antetokounmpo with as strong a supporting cast as one could reasonably expect for a franchise in a non-marquee market. Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, George Hill, Eric Bledsoe and Wesley Matthews all play to his strengths by spacing the floor and spreading out the defense to clear the way for his drives to the basket.

But nobody questions Antetokounmpo's value to Milwaukee. Take him out of the mix and the team's championship hopes evaporate.

Of course, that's the big question surrounding the franchise. Milwaukee fell to the Miami Heat in five games in the second round of this year's playoffs, although Antetokounmpo dealt with an ankle injury in Games 3 and 4 and sat out Game 5. The Bucks also lost to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals, a disappointing result after they had taken a 2-0 series lead and had home-court advantage.

Anything short of an NBA Finals appearance next year could have major ramifications for the future with Antetokounmpo due to hit free agency in 2021.