Milwaukee, Wisconsin (AP) – Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to make sure the Milwaukee Bucks’ pursuit of another title was not derailed by his contract situation.
This is one of the reasons the two-time MVP decided against waiting until next summer to announce his future plans and instead inked a three-year, $186 million agreement.
Tuesday, one day after declaring on social media that he had consented to the extension, Antetokounmpo, 28, gave an explanation of his choice.
“I don’t need the media to be discussing my contract and whether I plan to stay or leave,” Antetokounmpo remarked. Because I had a deep-seated desire to stay. People coming back after a loss and saying, “Oh, Giannis is getting irritated, he doesn’t like what’s going on, this, that, he’s going to leave, blah, blah, blah,” is something I don’t want to happen. No. Right now, we’re going to talk only about basketball.
When he signed his supermax agreement around a week before the season began in 2020, Antetokounmpo mentioned that he had taken a similar course of action as opposed to seeking free agency the following summer. The Bucks went on to capture their first championship in fifty years.
“It was really beneficial,” Antetokounmpo remembered. “I didn’t have to consider it. Additionally, I believe that the team benefits from it as well as myself. They have no interest in learning that Giannis is departing. Giannis will remain for the entire season.
According to Antetokounmpo, he feels obligated to reassure the organization.
“Surely, I want to be here?” stated Antetokounmpo. “That is not a secret at all. Everyone is aware of that. It is pleasant to feel. Like I aggravate a lot of people. And since I am aware of how stressed out I am and because my life is also quite stressful, I don’t want to be the source of many other people’s stress. So, yes, please, if I can ease the workload on the squad and my colleagues and improve our chances of winning a title. Come on, let’s do it.
On the eve of the NBA season, Antetokounmpo made his statement, capping a busy few months for the Bucks and their star player.
Adrian Griffin was hired by the Bucks after coach Mike Budenholzer was fired after the team finished with the best regular-season record in the NBA. However, the Bucks were defeated by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. Then, in the summer, Antetokounmpo said that he would not sign an extension for this season and that he wanted to gauge the Bucks’ commitment to contending for a title.