Why Giannis Antetokounmpo Struggles as a Passer: Breaking Down His Assist-to-Turnover Woes

So this is the assist to turnover ratio for last season:

Yes, Giannis right at the top. How about the year before that?

You get the picture, Giannis is a terrible passer, always at the top of that chart. His evolution into a pseudo-point guard role for the Bucks shows up one glaring weakness that persists in his game: his passing. Specifically, Giannis consistently ranks among the league’s worst in assist-to-turnover ratio, a metric that measures a player’s efficiency as a distributor. So, why does a player of his caliber struggle so much in this area? Let’s dive into the how and why behind Giannis’ passing woes.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

To understand the scope of Giannis’ struggles, we need to look at the stats. In the 2024-25 season (as of March 9, 2025), Giannis is averaging 6.0 assists per game against 3.5 turnovers, according to recent data. That gives him an assist-to-turnover ratio of roughly 1.71:1—far from elite for a player handling the ball as often as he does. For comparison, top-tier playmakers like Nikola Jokić (around 3.5:1) or Chris Paul (often above 4:1 in his prime) showcase the kind of efficiency Giannis lacks. Even among his peers with high usage rates, like LeBron James, Giannis’ ratio stands out as subpar. Here is this season so far, second worse in the league:

Historically, this isn’t a new issue. Last season he had the worst assist-to-turnover ratio in the NBA, and while that claim requires context (usage rate, role, etc.), it’s not far from the truth when looking at players with similar ball-handling responsibilities. Over his career, Giannis has improved his assist numbers—from 2.6 per game in his sophomore season to nearly 6.0 now—but his turnovers have climbed alongside them, often hovering around 3.0 to 4.0 per game. The result? A ratio that rarely cracks the 2:1 mark, a benchmark for competent playmaking. It is almost as if all he cares about is the absolute number of assists for his double doubles and triple doubles. Hell, could he be the definition of a stat padder?

How Giannis’ Style Leads to Turnovers

So, what’s happening on the court? Giannis’ passing struggles stem from a combination of his playing style, physical attributes, and decision-making tendencies.

1. Reliance on Power Over Precision
   Giannis is a freight train in transition and a bulldozer in the half-court, using his 6’11” frame and 7’3” wingspan to overwhelm defenders. This physical dominance is his superpower, but it doesn’t translate seamlessly to passing. Unlike finesse passers like Jokić or Draymond Green, Giannis doesn’t rely on pinpoint accuracy or subtle reads. His passes often come out of sheer necessity—kicking the ball out after drawing a double-team or forcing a feed into tight windows—rather than calculated design. This leads to sloppy deliveries, intercepted lobs, or balls sailing out of bounds.
2. High Usage, High Risk
   Giannis’ usage rate consistently ranks among the league’s highest—around 28-30% in recent seasons, per available data. The Bucks’ offense runs through him, whether he’s driving to the rim or initiating from the top of the key. With so much responsibility, turnovers are inevitable, especially for a player who isn’t a natural playmaker. Guards like James Harden or Luka Dončić, who also have high usage, offset their turnovers with elite vision and ball-handling. Giannis, however, lacks the same level of control, often dribbling into traffic or attempting ambitious passes his skill set can’t consistently execute.
3. Limited Perimeter Game
   Giannis’ lack of a reliable jump shot forces him into predictable patterns. Defenses sag off him, clogging the paint and daring him to pass out of pressure. While he’s improved at finding open teammates—hence the uptick in assists—this also increases his turnover risk. He’s often surrounded by multiple defenders, leaving little margin for error on his passes. Smaller, quicker guards can thread needles or manipulate angles; Giannis, with his size and longer release, struggles to do so under duress.

Why He’s “Terrible” Compared to Peers

Calling Giannis a “terrible passer” might feel harsh given his assist totals, but the assist-to-turnover ratio highlights a real deficiency relative to his peers. Players like LeBron James or even Draymond Green, who also play point-forward roles, maintain ratios above 2.5:1 or even 3:1 in peak seasons. Jokić, another big man with playmaking duties, blows Giannis out of the water with his efficiency. So, why does Giannis lag behind?

• Vision and Anticipation: Giannis’ court vision is not instinctual. He reacts to what he sees rather than anticipating plays two steps ahead, a hallmark of elite passers. This reactive style leads to late passes that defenders can jump.
• Ball-Handling: For all his athletic gifts, Giannis’ handle is loose compared to smaller guards. He’s prone to strips or losing control in tight spaces, inflating his turnover count.
• Role Mismatch: The Bucks ask Giannis to be a hybrid of a point guard and a rim-running big. It’s a tall order, and while he’s adapted admirably, he’s not wired for the precision that role demands at an elite level.

Giannis started playing ball late in life. He simply does not have the fast responses of other players that grew up on the court and are used to pressure.

Still, the efficiency gap remains. The Bucks’ system mitigates some of this by surrounding him with shooters and cutters, but it can’t fully mask his limitations. When compared to players who marry high assist totals with low turnovers, Giannis’ passing looks pedestrian—or worse.

Can He Fix It?

At 30 years old, Giannis isn’t likely to transform into a Chris Paul-level distributor. His physical tools and relentless drive are his identity, and the Bucks have won a championship with him as their chaotic, turnover-prone fulcrum. Maybe it was an extremely lucky championship run. Maybe Khris got the team through the hardest parts of those playoffs in clutch situations. That said, small improvements—like tightening his handle, refining his reads, or simplifying his passes—could nudge his ratio closer to respectability.

Conclusion: A Flawed Giant

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s passing struggles, epitomized by his poor assist-to-turnover ratio, are a byproduct of his unique game. He got himseld into a playmaker’s role, because he wants the ball in order to get easy buckets by running the floor but he is faltering where precision matters most. Is he a “terrible passer”? In the context of efficiency metrics, yes—he’s always among the league’s worst for his role. No two ways about it. The Bucks will not get far with Giannis running the floor like this.