Photo: NBC Sports

From one all-time great to another, Giannis Antetokounmpo has crowned Stephen Curry as the best player in the world in the Milwaukee Bucks’ media day availability.

“Do I believe that I’m one of the best players in the league in the way I help my team be great and win games? “Yeah I do,” Giannis said. “I’m mature enough, I’m old enough to understand that. Do I believe I’m the best in the world? No. I think the best player in the world is the person that is the last one standing, the person that takes his team to the finish line and helps them win games and become champion.

“Two years ago when we did that, yeah, when I was sleeping in my bad I was like ‘Ah yeah, maybe I’m the best player in the world.’ But now, no. In my opinion, the way I view it, the winner is the best. The guy who wins is the best… I believe that the best player in the world is Steph Curry until the next player.”

Coincidentally, the Golden State Warriors are also having one last Sunday. With that, a reporter asked Curry about Giannis’s recent claim about him.

The reigning Finals MVP can only offer a heartwarming response.

“I don’t know if it was gamesmanship to set the table for — I would say the same thing when you’re facing the champions,” Curry said. “That’s part of like the nature of the league. We all want to win the championship, and when you look at the team that’s the last team standing and who was playing the best, I was thinking the same thing about him last year, coming off their run.

“So I appreciate the compliment. It’s not going to soften me up to get complacent at all. But you do appreciate the respect of your peers to say stuff like that, and I’ve been in the situation where I’m complimenting guys around the league a lot as well.”

There is no doubt that Antetokounmpo has a golden hardware to show in the argument that he is the best of all the best in the league. Having a back-to-back MVPs, Defensive Player of the Year trophy, a coveted title ring and a Finals MVP honors truly helps on the shining status of the Greek sensation.

But his praise on Curry speaks volume. The greatest shooter in the world just adds up another title in his legendary résumé, and a Finals MVP that he’s been searching for so long. At 34 years of age, Curry has a much better achievements if it is being matched on Giannis.

Still, the fact that these two have tipped off their hats to each other, it can only show that both Curry and Giannis are very much deserving on the throne – from their humbleness alone.