Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo gave some insight into his career goals in a recent interview with Cosmote TV in Greece.
As of this writing, Giannis Antetokounmpo has yet to make his decision on signing his supermax extension from the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of training camp starting in earnest this weekend.
While that continues to loom over the Bucks, Antetokounmpo recently returned stateside after having been in Greece all offseason. But not before giving an interview with Cosmote TV in Greece that largely strayed away from his big decision.
More from Bucks News
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
As was transcribed by Aris Barkas of Eurohoops, the Greek Freak reiterated his desire to win at the highest level, not just in the NBA but also with the Greek national team:
"“I will not stop playing until I get what I want to achieve. I want to win a medal; I want to win an NBA championship. I may continue until I am 45. I am not in hurry, I will be here. I think that day by day in order to get to the next level and reach the point I want to, I have to improve my shooting ability, my free throws, and that will happen. Because I am putting in a lot of work and I believe in myself.And day by day it will come…”"
As he said himself, Antetokounmpo improving his shooting will be a pivotal piece to the puzzle in winning at the highest level throughout his career.
That highly sought after 3-point shot is slowly coming along for the two-time MVP, having shot 30.4 percent on a career-high 4.7 attempts last season. Taking another progressive step forward next season would be a substantial boost for Antetokounmpo’s game.
Giannis also detailed his unselfishness and willingness to take a backseat to other stars if they came to Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo’s inclination to win has always taken center stage in his career, and with a revamped supporting cast, he will get another shot at his first championship this season. And according to the 25-year-old, he would be willing to adapt to playing around a star for the sake of winning at all costs:
"“For sure I am proud of what we have achieved with this team, starting from 15 wins and getting to 60. And last season we could have gotten to 65-70 wins. But being proud of not having support around me, it’s not true. If I was the fifth or sixth-best player on the team, I would have been ok with that”.“This is a statement that I have never made before. If LeBron and Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis came to Milwaukee; I would have been good with that. I am not interested if I am the top, second or third name, ok? Because I want to win… For sure when I was 18 or 19 years old, maybe I didn’t understand what you need to do to win. But right now, I am 25 and I want to win because when I retire, that’s what people will remember. And if I got LeBron, KD, Davis, if all those came, I wouldn’t mind at all. I don’t care if I am the top (player) on the team”."
Antetokounmpo has made it clear on numerous occasions that he wants to build a winning culture in Milwaukee, and landing another top-tier star would certainly help him in that regard. This comes just weeks after Milwaukee’s failed bid for Bogdan Bogdanovic, whom Antetokounmpo was reportedly recruiting to the Bucks before the league opened an investigation that led to the guard signing elsewhere.
While the Serbian international is not on the level of, say, of a James or Davis, Antetokounmpo’s efforts showcase his desire to bring the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to Milwaukee by building a winning situation with the Bucks.
The most prominent question involving the supermax extension remains for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and only time will tell if he signs it before the start of the 2020-21 season.