Practice video shows Giannis warning his teammates that they are fake tough guys

on wednesday The Milwaukee Bucks will start their 2025-26 NBA season with a home game against the Washington Wizards. The Bucks threw everything at the wall this offseason and ended up getting enough to convince themselves Giannis Antetokounmpo not to demand trade, but most pundits still have a hard time envisioning Milwaukee taking a step forward from where it was a year ago.

Antetokounmpo is the unquestioned leader of this team, and recently, leaked video from Bucks practice he showed that he trains for his teammates himself.

“You can’t be a tough guy and whine at the same time,” Antetokounmpo said at one point during the scrimmage, when there was disagreement over whether a foul should have been called on a certain play.

(Video via @Heavenlibuckets on X, formerly Twitter).

My GOD Giannis is TALKING to these guys. You don’t even need to see the other angles because you KNOW he’s talking to Kuzma and Portis. This will either make them much better or make them bitter. Bucks need to post more of these runs, seems like a good shot. https://t.co/vIaFpTIocT pic.twitter.com/O5IeV7BLIl

— Follow HeavenlyBuckets (@Heavenlibuckets) October 21, 2025

While the NBA officials who officiated Antetokounmpo’s game might find a hint of hypocrisy in his statement, the point remains that Antetokounmpo clearly has full control of the Bucks’ locker room heading into this season.

Big year for the Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks are essentially blindly hoping that Antetokounmpo, on his size alone, will be able to take a Motley Fool crew from roster to contender status in an injury-depleted Eastern Conference.

The Bucks waived Damian Lillard this offseason and used the cap space they temporarily gained to sign Myles Turner, who just helped lead the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals before laying the egg once they got there, to a contract.

Turner figures to provide a younger and more athletic version of the floor spacing and rim protection that Brook Lopez, now the Los Angeles Clippers’ backup center, brought to Milwaukee for so many years.

The head of the snake is clearly Antetokounmpo, though, and he’ll need a 2018 LeBron James-esque effort to get this Bucks team into the postseason.

The Bucks and Wizards will tip off on Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET.