Giannis Antetokounmpo addresses his future with Bucks, says he doesn’t want to play in New York
Giannis Antetokounmpo appears to have taken two teams off his list of possible future NBAlanding spots. Antetokounmpo, whose current deal with he Milwaukee Bucks runs through the 2027-28 season, does not appear to be interested in playing for either of New York’s pro teams, the Knicks and the Nets.
“A lot of people have tried to convince me to play [in New York], but nah,” he said recently.”
Antetokounmpo, 30, was asked if he plans to remain in Milwaukee, the only team he has played for at this point in his career.
“Probably,” he said. “We’ll see … probably. I love Milwaukee.”
Antetokounmpo’s comments regarding his future in Milwaukee are on brand with what he has typically said in the past when asked about his future plans in the NBA. While things can certainly change, it appears that neither side has any plans on leaving the other anytime soon.
It’s certainly easy to see why Antetokounmpo is happy in Milwaukee. Since joining the team in 2013, he has blossomed into one of the NBA’s top players. He was the 2013-14 Rookie of the Year, the 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year, is a two-time league MVP and was the MVP of the 2021 NBA Finals after helping the Bucks defeat the Phoenix Suns in six games.
Antetokounmpo is also a nine-time All-Star and a five-time member of the NBA’s All-Defensive Team. In October 2021, Antetokounmpo was included in the NBA’s 75th All-Anniversary Team.
While his comments regarding Milwaukee will surely make Bucks fans happy, Antetokounmpo’s thoughts on possibly playing in New York are certainly a bummer for Knicks and Nets fans. The Nets are hoping to have a successful offseason after going just 26-26 last season. The Knicks (who recently hired Mike Brown to be their new coach) are hoping to build off of last year’s success that included the franchise’s first trip to the Eastern Conference finals since 2000.