Even despite how things concluded in the end, there's no doubting how much Giannis Antetokounmpo means to the city, and even how much the city of Milwaukee means to Giannis. That much should be clear, especially after his latest remarks reflecting on his time in the 414.
"The reason I changed my number is I feel like '34' holds so much weight and has so much history. Out of respect to the organization that drafted me and who I played with for 13 years, I decided to leave the number there," Antetokounmpo said in his introductory presser upon arriving in Miami.
Giannis Antetokounmpo decided to leave his number in Milwaukee
For more than a decade, the number 34 came to be more than just a jersey number in Milwaukee; it was a symbol of an era and a culture of hard work. When Antetokounmpo was finally traded, fans braced for the inevitable sight of their icon wearing that familiar number in a different jersey.
But as it turns out, we won’t have to see that after all.
To recall, Giannis chose to wear the jersey number 34 because it combined the last digits of his parents' birth years: his mother was born in 1963 and his father was born in 1964. For a player as family oriented as the Greek Freak is, for him to leave that number behind in Milwaukee should say everything about the respect he still has for the city and the organization.
By choosing to step away from the number that became synonymous with his ascent, Giannis is effectively acknowledging that what he and the city of Milwaukee built belongs to that time and place. He’s choosing to start a new chapter, leaving the history books in Wisconsin untouched.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is moving forward with the number 7
Antetokounmpo is clearly focused on the road ahead with the Heat, saying he eventually hopes to make '7' as legendary as '34'. It’s an ambitious goal, but that’s the Giannis way. He’s never been one to rest on the past. Yet, by making this change, he’s ensured that for the Bucks faithful, the number 34 remains a singular, untarnished memory of the greatest run in team history. It’s the ultimate sign of respect not just to the team, but to the fans who watched him grow from a raw prospect into a legend.
The ending of this era was what it was, but the Greek Freak is clearly choosing to preserve and honor the memory of the past 13 years. And that he even thought to do that shows how deep the bond between him and the city is in the grand scheme of things.
Perhaps in the end, that's a bond that sees him coming back later down the line for one last run.
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