Giannis is still holding a bit of a grudge.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is on top of the basketball world right now as his Milwaukee Bucks are defending champions. While he probably won’t repeat this season given the current competition throughout the league, there is no doubt that whenever Giannis is on the court, he is feared. The man can physically dominate any player in the league, and as a two-time MVP, other players know that they have to respect him whenever they go 1-on-1.
The Greek national has always had a chip on his shoulder, and his playoff losses have only exacerbated that. Perhaps his worst loss came in the bubble back in 2020, when the Bucks lost to the Miami Heat in five games. While speaking to The Athletic, Giannis had some shade for the Heat, noting that he felt like their success was simply due to the bubble. Of course, Giannis was able to sweep the Heat last season, ultimately proving his point.
“I came in with a chip on my shoulder, I knew what the deal was,” Giannis said. “It was one of my best years I’ve ever had in my career, offensively and defensively… Year seven ended with Miami. I don’t make excuses as an athlete, but it wasn’t a satisfying year for me because I felt like if it was a normal situation, it wouldn’t end up like that. But at the end of the day, I felt like Miami was built to be an NBA bubble team.”
This interview was for The Athletic’s 75 greatest NBA players of all-time list, which had Giannis at 24th. That’s pretty high given his current resume, although it is hard to argue against a player who has done so much at his young age.
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