Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is a two time MVP and as of Tuesday night following the Bucks’ 105-98 victory in Game 6, he’s now an NBA champion and an NBA Finals MVP.
Antetokounmpo is already famous internationally because of his upbringing in Greece and is adored all over the world for his playful temperament and fierce loyalty to the team that drafted him. During this NBA Finals, Antetokounmpo continues to gain new fans and is blowing people away with his humility and emotional maturity.
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Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd, who hosts ‘The Herd with Colin Cowherd,’ is one such person who has been enthralled with the emotional maturity of Giannis throughout the Bucks’ historic playoff run.
After the Bucks clinched their first title in 50 years, Antetokounmpo went straight to his family to hug his girlfriend, son, mother and brother and Cowherd had fantastic words to say about the Finals MVP:
"“He’s truly different. It’s about family. It’s about loyalty. It’s about trustworthiness. It’s about Milwaukee. When’s the last time we said that in the NBA? It’s all about Milwaukee. I like Giannis. I never thought he would be the face of the league. He just didn’t want to be, it didn’t seem to interest him. But in sort of a backdoor way, a unique way, not the American basketball machine way, he’s now the face of the league.”"
Giannis also made strong impressions of his emotional maturity in a post practice conference talking about his approach to his mindset of living in the moment with humility, not in the past, where ego lies, or in the future where pride lies:
"“When you focus on the past, that’s your ego. ‘I did this,’ you know…When I focus on the future, it’s my pride. ‘Yeah, next game, Game 5, I do this and this and this.” That’s your pride talking. It doesn’t happen, you’re right here. I try to focus in on the moment, in the present. That’s humility. That’s being humble. That’s not setting expectations. That’s going out there and enjoying the game and competing at a high level.”"
Giannis made such an impression during this interview that fans were prompted to create a T-shirt reminding people to focus on the present. Inspiring words from an inspiring young man.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has reflected upon winning his first NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks
Even in his first post-title victory interview after the trophy ceremony, Antetokounmpo paused before beginning to answer questions to put on a Jim Paschke T-shirt to commemorate the retiring play-by-play legend, who also had been suffering COVID-19-related symptoms.
Giannis couldn’t go through his interview without smiling big when asked about his teammate and friend Khris Middleton, with whom Giannis has spent the past eight seasons, being part of one of the worst teams in franchise history, and now bringing it all together for a championship. The love Giannis and Khris have for each other is seen after every win as the two are often seen hugging after wins, recalling memories of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen for NBA fans.
Trophy ceremony interview with Giannis Antetokounmpo — NBA Champion and Finals MVP pic.twitter.com/ewqMjYx1EI
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 21, 2021
In a later interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, Antetokounmpo really shows that he has the mentality of a winner. You could hear it as soon as the Bucks were raising their trophy, in his words to Khris Middleton and Head Coach Mike Budenholzer. Antetokounmpo, just minutes after winning his first NBA Championship, a goal he has dedicated himself to since his famous tweet in 2014 about remaining in Milwaukee until he delivered a championship, is already setting his sights on winning it all again:
"“I have the same mentality, and that’s the messed up part about my brain, you know that we just did it! We just (won a title) a couple of hours ago and I’m already thinking about how can I do it again. I’m already thinking about how can I make this team better. What can I improve to help this team be better.”"
Reflecting on everything Giannis Antetokounmpo has said during these NBA Finals, I can’t help but be overwhelmingly impressed by the emotional maturity of the 26 year old Finals MVP. I can’t think of a player who deserves all the great things coming their way than Antetokounmpo. And like all Bucks fans, I look forward to his continued success in Milwaukee for years to come.