- Giannis Antetokounmpo reveals he could leave the Bucks if they fail to maintain a winning standard
- 2023 playoff loss to the Heat could have major consequences
- Khris Middleton shares his mindset on the future amid growing uncertainty
Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been an ambassador for loyalty since his ascension to stardom. But even after 10+ years in Milwaukee, the Greek Freak is starting to show that he may be open to moving on completely.
When asked about Giannis’ wavering loyalty, his friend and co-star Khris Middleton refused to show any indications of concern. “I think it’s kind of business as usual either way,” Middleton told ESPN. “It doesn’t affect me personally. I don’t think it affects us as a team. I think this is something he said almost every year he’s come up in contract extension talks.”
Middleton and Giannis won a title together back in 2021, but it’s been nothing but disappointment ever since. Heading into the 2023-24 campaign, there are still many unanswered questions on the future but Khris knows more than anyone how important Antetokounmpo is to the team’s success.
“We always want him back for sure. Let’s be sure and let everyone know that. We want this guy to come back because he’s one of the best players in the world. He’s one of the best players in franchise history. So when he says things like that, I think he just wants to challenge the team, the organization, to keep putting us in position to win championships.”
2023 Playoffs Jeopardized Everything
In the aftermath of their championship win in 2021, the Bucks were hoping to continue their prosperity by running it back with Giannis, Khris, and veteran All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday. The Bucks have been unable to meet expectations over the past two seasons, losing to the Celtics in 2022 before their embarrassing collapse against the Miami Heat this past postseason.
For Giannis, winning is just as important to him as loyalty and while his first choice is to stay with the Bucks, the nature of their first-round defeat this year has caused the 2x MVP to question everything. “I am a winner. I want to be a winner,” Giannis said in a 48 Minutes podcast session with Ross Geiger. “Comfort zone does not matter to me. I don’t want to, in this lifetime, talk about the same story over and over again. At the end of the day, I want to create new memories, I want to win a lot of championships…”
The Last Stand For The Bucks?
To say the Bucks are under pressure to deliver a good season might be the understatement of the century. By all accounts, the Bucks need to make a deep run in 2024 if they want to prove to Giannis that he can still win in Milwaukee. Fortunately, with Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez all signed on and healthy, it shouldn’t be too hard for the Bucks to re-ignite their championship spirit.
Of course, all eyes will be on Giannis to see how he plays and how far he’s able to lead this team in their most pivotal season yet. With an average of 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game last season, Antetokounmpo had already shown his worth, and now it’s up to his teammates and coaches to maximize to follow his lead and put the Bucks in a position to succeed once again.
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