In the era of superteams, it’s normal for superstar players to quit on their teams and jump on the bandwagon of a pre-build roster.
Kevin Durant did it, James Harden did it, and LeBron James has done it on more than one occasion.
For Giannis Antetokounmpo, however, he remains one of the few stars who refuse to participate in the tradition.
And now that he’s got an NBA Championship in the books, it’s hard to say it hasn’t paid off for him.
Here’s what he said after his Game 6 win:
“It’s easy to go somewhere and win a championship somewhere else…This is the hard way to do it, and this is the way we did it. We did it, we fu*king did it.”
“It’s easy to go somewhere and win a championship somewhere else…This is the hard way to do it, and this is the way we did it. We did it, we fu*king did it.”
– Giannis. ✊ pic.twitter.com/rEt3BJpAQU
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 21, 2021
Giannis Antetokounmpo on signing his supermax extension to remain in Milwaukee before the season began: “I could’ve gone to a super team … but this is the hard way to do it, and I did it.”
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) July 21, 2021
Winning a Championship is never easy and always feels good. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.
But when you win with the team you got drafted on, and do it without forming a powerful superteam (the hard way), it makes it even more special, and more impactful for Giannis’ legacy.
Say what you want about the superteam era, but Antetokounmpo needs to be given credit and respect for doing this the hard way. It’s a truly impressive achievement.
