After losing in shocking fashion to the no. 8 seeded Miami Heat, Giannis Antetokounmpo was relentlessly ridiculed and mocked for falling below expectations as a 2x MVP. After the game, things only got worse after Giannis tried to justify his defeat by calling failure another step in the NBA process.
While his message wasn’t necessarily wrong, it wasn’t the sort of thing you’d expect to hear from a high-level competitor like Giannis. But today, after some time to think and reflect on his heartbreaking loss, Giannis only doubled down on his stance with a tweet that included some words from the great Kobe Bryant himself.
“What does failure mean? It doesn’t exist,” said Bryant in the clip. “Because if I fail today, okay, I’m gonna learn something from that failure and I’m gonna try again on Tuesday. The story continues. So if you fail on Monday, the only way it’s a failure on Monday is if you decide to not progress from there.”
It's steps to success. pic.twitter.com/PpVgec57ov
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) May 10, 2023
Giannis lit the world on fire with his media interview after Game 5, and he’s using Kobe to help back up and defend the controversial statements he made back then.
“Every year you work towards a goal, which is to get a promotion and take care of your family… It’s not a failure, there are steps to success,” said Giannis. “Michael Jordan played 15 years and won six championships. The other nine years were a failure? That’s what you’re telling me? Exactly, so why ask me that question? It’s the wrong question. There’s no failure in sports. There are good days and bad days, some days you’re able to be successful, and some days you’re not. Some days it’s your turn, some days it’s not your turn. That’s what sports is about, you don’t always win.”
Of course, just like back then, the Greek Freak is being blasted for his take and his bravery to speak up after such a disastrous postseason.
https://twitter.com/mldiffley/status/1656410552556503041
Bro said “argue with Kobe, I dare you” lol https://t.co/Q5dFOggyKN
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) May 10, 2023
Bro it was a failure bro let it go😂😂
— JKD (@JalenDavis4444) May 10, 2023
You brought Kobe into your nasty failures????? https://t.co/3ZQFozCgqP pic.twitter.com/D11DXMdOUe
— Texans Hurt My Soul (@FondofHOUsports) May 10, 2023
It’s tough to say what Kobe would have had to say about Giannis and the Bucks this season, but he certainly didn’t shy away from accepting accountability and recognizing failures when they happened.
For Giannis, it’s good that he is taking away something from this season, but things have to change if he wants to avoid a similar ending next year.
Can Bucks Bounce Back After Major Let-Down?
As bad as things ended for the Bucks, they still control their own destiny with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the team and locked in under contract for several more years.
With a new head coach on the way, some minor tweaks to the roster and could be all the team needs to go on a dominant run for the next few years. But until Giannis takes his team back to the Finals, there will always be some fans who question if his best days are already behind him.
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