Milwaukee Bucks: 2018 exit interview highlights

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Antetokounmpo on whether he would change anything about his Game 7 approach in hindsight:

"“No, no, no. I wouldn’t change it. It wasn’t just that game, it was the whole series. I wouldn’t have changed nothing. To be in the playoffs, you don’t just go to the playoffs and just turn a switch, you know? Before you’re a champion, you’ve got to visualize yourself as a champion. Before you go to those games, you’ve got to see yourself get ready for those games. I didn’t get ready the day before the game or the day of the game. I got ready the whole summer, the whole regular season. That’s how I approach that game. I was 100 percent prepared. I worked hard. My teammates worked hard. And I don’t think we would change our approach to that game.”"

Antetokounmpo on what the Bucks need to change to secure a top-four seed next season:

"“We’ve got to play better, win more, but you know, there’s a lot of things that has to do with that. You know, building a foundation, build a better relationship as teammates, so we can know that when we go in the regular season everyone has each other’s back.”"

Antetokounmpo on whether he wants to be consulted in the coaching decisions:

"“Right now, I don’t really want to talk about the coach. I haven’t even talked to my coach right now, I’ve got to go meet with Coach Prunty. That’s a decision that the front office has to take, you know? My job is to get ready for the game and prepare my teammates for the games next season. Whatever decision they make, I hope it can help the team. It’d be nice if I could be involved and know, but yeah, I just want to do the right moves for us to be successful. That’s it. That’s what I care about. And I care about coming back and winning games. That’s it, you know? At the end of the day, you’ve got to draw the line and see the line. You know, can you help me, can you not? Overall, our goal is to be one of the best teams in the East, win a championship. If you can help me, you know, I appreciate you, I interact with you. But if you cannot, there have got to be moves that have to be made. It’s not about being mean to one another, but it’s all about respect, you know?”"

Antetokounmpo on his summer focus and his jump shot:

"“Right now, all I’m thinking about is how I can be a better leader, how I can take control of the game when I want to take control of the game — late, early, set a tone, stuff like that. I know the talent is there, the work ethic is there, but now it’s the simple things that make your team a winning team. I can argue about the jump shot. We’ve been arguing about the jump shot since my rookie year. From, oh, he cannot score the ball, he cannot be an All-Star, he doesn’t have a jump shot, he cannot help his team go to the playoffs if he doesn’t have a jump shot. I still helped my team go to the playoffs, I still put up the stats I put up with no jump shot. I feel like I’ve got a jump shot. Do I shoot it every time? No, I don’t. You know, because I know that’s not what my team wants for me to do every time. I’m not going to come down and shoot 45 shots. That’s not what my team wants from me. I’m going to do whatever it takes for me and for my team to be successful.”"

Antetokounmpo on potentially working with Kobe Bryant this summer:

"“I would love to work with Kobe. Hopefully, get in touch with Kobe, and get a few days just to work on my footwork, my mentality, what he thinks I could do better, watch some clips with him, some tape with him. That would be good. If I had the opportunity to do that, that would be really great and I think it would help me to go to the next level that I have to go to.”"

Antetokounmpo on Jabari Parker‘s restricted free agency:

"“Jabari ain’t going nowhere. We’re not going to talk about Jabari. He’s not going nowhere. He’s going to be here and he’s going to be ready for next season. We’re going to be all excited and play in our new arena, and everybody’s going to be having fun.”"