This is the 11th POTM honor of his career and first of the 2024-2025 season
In a nice bit of news on an off day for the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo was officially named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for January 2025. This is the 11th time he has won the award in his career and the first time he has broken through in the 2024-2025 campaign.
His averages of 30.5 points, 13.2 rebounds (best mark in a month so far this season), and 5.7 assists coincided with one of Milwaukee’s strongest runs of play on the court so far this season with the Bucks stringing together a five-game winning streak at home. They’d ultimately end the month at 9-6 and are now looking to regain their footing to close the pre-All-Star Game portion of the season on a positive note.
The award comes amidst the strongest season of his career on pure scoring output (31.8 so far on a still stellar 62.0% true shooting mark) while he’s been able to avoid breaching career-highs in usage rate to do it. Assist and rebound percentages are hovering around recent career averages which suggests he’s maintaining play at the peak of his individual powers. He recorded a double-double in each and every game in the month and is on a streak of 19 consecutive double-doubles, the second-longest streak of his career
All this comes in the lead up to the All-Star Game which will be held in San Francisco on February 16th where Antetokounmpo led all Eastern Conference players in fan, media, and votes from fellow players. Milwaukee has five games between now and then, including three road tilts and with four of the five against teams just above or firmly below .500. The trade deadline could, of course, shake things up further.
For now, congratulations to Giannis on the award and we’re looking forward to seeing whatever the rest of the season and playoffs holds!