Giannis Antetokounmpo has Khris Middleton
Defining a sports sidekick is tough. Sometimes it means the second-best player on a team, even if those two stars rarely play together (think Evgeni Malkin). Other times, it refers to half of a famous duo, like Scottie Pippen. But Malkin is too self-sufficient and Pippen too good. So here's a new high bar for sidekicks: the Bucks' Khris Middleton. Kendrick Perkins called Giannis Antetokounmpo Robin after Middleton dropped 38 points in a playoff game in 2021. A month later, Antetokounmpo had his Batman moment in the Finals. Giannis couldn't have won that title without Middleton, but there's a clear No. 1 and No. 2.
Wayne Gretzky had Jari Kurri
Oilers/Kings 1980-'88, '92-'96
This story is from the January - February 2023 edition of Sports Illustrated Kids.
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This story is from the January - February 2023 edition of Sports Illustrated Kids.
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