MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who just won his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player title, was selected for TIME's 100 Most Influential People list.

The annual list highlights the 100 most influential people in the world for 2020. 

Former Bucks star and NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wrote Antetokounmpo’s tribute essay for the magazine, noting his work both on and off the court. He included the Bucks' decision to boycott the game, which sparked a wave of similar boycotts and postponements following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha in August.

“After leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the playoffs, he and his team protested the police shooting of Jacob Blake in their home state by refusing to play, sparking a wave of strikes and postponements throughout the NBA,” Abdul-Jabbar penned. “I once asked Giannis what his name meant, and he told me ‘the crown has arrived.’ It certainly has.”

Abdul-Jabbar called Giannis a "true sports hero." 

He entered the 2013 NBA draft, where he was ultimately selected by the Bucks and has since gone on to become the third player in NBA history to win both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. He joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon, according to the NBA. 

Antetokounmpo is listed under the "Pioneers" category on the Time 100. The list also includes former Marquette University basketball star and NBA legend Dwyane Wade, as well as his wife, Gabrielle Union. Wade played for the Milwaukee college from 2001-2003, and Marquette retired his jersey in 2007. 

Click here to see TIME's full list.