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Giannis Antetokounmpo wins 2019-2020 NBA MVP

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (pictured) on Friday joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (pictured) on Friday joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Photo by Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE

Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo on Friday won his second consecutive NBA MVP award after a stellar 2019-2020 season, the league announced Friday.

Antetokounmpo, 25, averaged 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, one steal and one block per game this season for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. He also was named the 2019-2020 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

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According to ESPN, Antetokounmpo received 85 of 101 first-place votes and 962 points from 100 sportswriters and broadcasters, as well as from Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award fan voting.

LeBron James got the other 16 first-place votes and finished second with 753 points. Houston Rockets guard James Harden was third, followed by Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.

Antetokounmpo joins James, Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell as the only NBA players in history to win back-to-back MVPs.

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He also joins Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players to win NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season.

Antetokounmpo and James on Wednesday were named unanimous first-team All-NBA selections. Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Houston Rockets guard James Harden also received first-team All-NBA honors.

The Bucks finished the regular season with an NBA-best 56-17 record, but lost to the Miami Heat in the second round of the playoffs in Orlando, Fla.

Antetokounmpo injured his right ankle during the series and did not play in the Bucks' Game 5 loss, which eliminated Milwaukee from the playoffs.

The Bucks star has just one year remaining on his contract. He is scheduled to make $27.5 million in 2020-2021.

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