Giannis Antetokounmpo deserves back-to-back MVP awards – Bucks coach Budenholzer

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LA, July 18: Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said Giannis Antetokounmpo deserves to win back-to-back NBA MVP awards.

The voting for the MVP and other individual regular-season awards are now reportedly over as the NBA season prepares to restart on July 30 after the league was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bucks star Antetokounmpo was crowned the league's Most Valuable Player last season, dethroning Houston Rockets guard James Harden.

Budenholzer believes Antetokounmpo should win consecutive honours as the NBA-leading Bucks (53-12) eye their first championship since 1971 via a 22-team bubble at Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, Florida.

"I had no idea that that was the case, but it makes sense. I think it was 64, 65, 66 games for different teams so that's certainly a significant body of work and more importantly, certainly, Giannis in our minds has done more than enough to deserve a back-to-back MVP," Budenholzer said on Friday, when told none of the seeding games will be taken into consideration for awards.

"What he does for us on both ends of the court, what he does every night, the way he sets the bar for us, culture-wise, work ethic-wise, just as a team-mate.

"He's an incredible team-mate, plays unselfishly, does everything. And I think that's kind of what the MVP is so we certainly feel like he's very deserving and we'll be excited to support him."

Antetokounmpo was averaging 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game when the NBA was suspended amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The Bucks will restart their campaign against Eastern Conference rivals the Boston Celtics on July 31.