Giannis’ message to haters who think he’s quit in Milwaukee
Giannis Antetokounmpo could be with another team in the next 24 hours, as the trade deadline is fast approaching. During the past week, trade negotiations have accelerated more than ever, as Antetokounmpo appears to be open to playing elsewhereand the Milwaukee Bucks they are open to finding him a new home.
Every trade is going to get a backlash from certain people, and in Antetokounmpo’s case, he thinks some would assume he’s given up on the Bucks. Contrary to belief, Antetokounmpo believes that he did the opposite and showed it against the Denver Nuggets when he was injured.
“There’s going to be some people that say, ‘Hey, man, when the … got tough, he left us. When it wasn’t going well, he left,'” Antetokounmpo said, via Erik Nemo of the Athletics. “It bothers me – which shouldn’t bother me – because I don’t like to quit. I got hurt in the first quarter of the game, the last game I played. And then in the fourth quarter, I got hurt again. It bothers me – which shouldn’t bother me – because I don’t like to quit. I got hurt in the first quarter of the game, the last game I played.
“Any other player on the planet — in my position, going through the season he’s going through, and all these injuries coming back, win, lose, win, lose, inconsistent play, blah, blah — would be like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m just going to protect my calf. You don’t know what the decision is tomorrow. That’s not me.’
There’s no doubt that Antetokounmpo has a superior work ethic, and it shows every time he’s on the court. It’s also clear that the Bucks and the city of Milwaukee mean a lot to him, which is probably why it was difficult for them to go through the process of being in trade rumors.
At the end of the day, Antetokounmpo knows this team isn’t ready for a championship, and with him in his prime, it’s best to go somewhere that will give him the best chance to win.
2026-02-04 16:39:00
