Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was named GQ Magazine’s Athlete of the Year, made some interesting comments to GQ’s Zach Baron as part of the cover story for the magazine. Discussing the championship the Bucks won earlier this year, Antetokounmpo seemingly opened the door to potentially leaving Milwaukee down the road.
“One challenge was to bring a championship here and we did,” Antetokounmpo said. “It was very hard, but we did. Very, very hard. I just love challenges. What’s the next challenge? The next challenge might not be here.
“… Me and my family chose to stay in this city that we all love and has taken care of us—for now. In two years, that might change. I’m being totally honest with you. I’m always honest. I love this city. I love this community. I want to help as much as possible.”
While Antetokounmpo’s comments will likely raise some eyebrows, his agent Alex Saratsis told Baron that he doesn’t believe the two-time MVP, whose five-year super-max contract began this year, will give any real consideration to leaving Milwaukee anytime soon.
“I don’t think it’s, ‘I’m thinking about leaving the Bucks,'” Saratsis said. “But I think he’s genuinely like: ‘Okay, I have reached the pinnacle. The next challenge is, let’s repeat.’ But what happens if you do repeat? What’s the next challenge? What is that next barrier? When you think about it from a basketball perspective, by the age of 26, this kid has accomplished everything. So sometimes you’re going to have to manufacture what those challenges are.”
Here are a few more highlights from the GQ feature on Giannis:
- Before he signed his long-term extension with the Bucks in 2020, Antetokounmpo was getting text messages from rival players encouraging him to leave, he told Baron. Some of those players haven’t talked to him since he decided to stay.
- Although the injury didn’t sideline him for very long, the left knee hyper-extension Antetokounmpo sustained during the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals has had a lasting effect on him, he told Baron. “My leg was the opposite way. To this day, I feel the effect, the traumatic stress,” he said. “I still feel it, and I think I’m going to feel it until I die.”
- Unlike many of his fellow superstars, Antetokounmpo insists he doesn’t view himself as a brand and isn’t concerned about how best to market himself, as Baron writes. “I don’t want to be the face of the league,” Giannis said. “I want to play great basketball. After that, if I disappear in the night, good. Don’t even talk about me, don’t even remember me. I don’t care.”
- Antetokounmpo owns a collection of framed jerseys from past and current NBA players, and James Harden‘s is among them. It’s “not true” that he has any beef with Harden, Giannis told Baron.
Nobody should be having any thoughts about repeating right now. If they don’t wake up, they’ll be thinking about what to do when the playoffs start, cuz they won’t be playing.
That’s dumb
Yeah, they’re so good right now. My bad.
@mannypineapple this season is still young and to already you are already thinking “the season is over”. I hope you aren’t a Bucks fan! Sheez, giving up on your team already and only 10 % of the season has been played. Bucks are a pretty solid team and will be in the playoffs this year. It doesn’t matter if they are 1st or 8th, they have a really good chance to repeat. Lakers, Clippers, and Warriors may bounce back and be a threat to the Championship. But, I think Bucks have a solid chance at a repeat. I kind of wish the Bucks would be willing to trade for Wall at mid season. I believe he can be a CP3-type player giving a team a boost. CP3 was known to find the injury list often like Wall has. But I believe Wall is healthy and can go at any time. Not saying the Bucks need Wall, but having him will make the Bucks that more dangerous.
Piratefan- I didn’t say the season was over. I am, in fact, a Bucks fan. I have not given up on them.
To everyone- reading comprehension is a thing. I’ll type slower so maybe it makes more sense this time…
They’re not playing well RIGHT NOW. If they don’t PLAY BETTER they won’t get IN the playoffs, much less repeat.
I think you aren’t taking into account all the missed time by key contributors. Both Lopez and DiVicenzo have yet to step on the court while our big 3 have only played a handful of games together thus far. Once they all get healthy and are back into their normal roles this team will be capable to compete with any team in the league.
bdp- they had a 20 point lead against the Knicks and lost by 20. Just days later, they blew another big lead to them before pulling away late..against the reserves, who I believe played the last 5-6 minutes of the 3rd and the entire 4th quarter and clearly ran out of gas.
And let’s not pretend it only happens when they’re missing a couple guys.
This isn’t football. These early season losses won’t hurt them later in the year especially when they have wins over the Nets and Sixers already, important for seeding. They’ve lacked 2 of their top 4 players in all but two games this season, so don’t trick yourself into thinking that this team isn’t good. They’ll get healthy and they’ll be who we projected.
All this hyperbole about them being bad over the last 12 games is super misguided, but I get it, you’re just trying to make a hot take. But to suggest that they won’t make a top 6, or even top 3 seed after starting 6-8 is foolish. Look at past standings through 14 games and you’ll find plenty of teams who started just as worse and finished in the top 3 of their conference.
Chill on the “stating what we all know and calling it an opinion” captain obvious. If we don’t win we won’t make playoffs.. Novel idea.
The Bucks still have an excellent chance of making the playoffs, despite their 6-8 start, which is mostly due to various injuries to key players.
Games missed to date: Giannis 1, Portis 5, Holiday 6, Middleton 8, Lopez 13, DiVincenzo 14
Yes, they haven’t played well, that’s true. But I think they will get better when they can put all these guys back on the floor at the same time.
Veiled way of saying “Hey, Lakers! Call me!”
Lmao another meat-headed Lakers casual in the comments. Like he’d ever go to LA. If he leaves Milwaukee it’s because he wants a challenge at winning titles, and throughout NBA history, moving to LA has proven to be the easiest path to rings because you barely have to try as compared to elsewhere.
Manufacture challenges? Study the history of basketball and you will find plenty of challenges. Repeat-yes then three peat. Overtake Jordan’s Bulls or the Lakers or if you really want a challenge the 60’s Celtics dynasty, 9 championships in 10 years.
As the agent mentioned he has done it all by now, 2 x MVP, All-Star Game MVP, DPOY, Finals MVP, Championship… done it all, if he repeat, which is not very clear, then makes no much difference to do it a 3rd time, clearly it might do to franchise fans like you, but I can see how it might not be very motivating for him.
Anyway, FWIW I think Giannis will stay in MIL, but even if he asks to go in 2 years, MIL must open the door to him & let him go wherever he wants to go & take back whatever they can or not for him, doesn’t matter trying to get good returns, just roll the red carpet for him to leave town & be happy about it!
As long as the Bucks want him to be in to be on their team for the next five seasons, he can’t leave. Not up to him.