Thanasis Antetokounmpo couldn’t care less about the critics’ notion with regards to his presence in the NBA just because of the basketball superstardom of Giannis.
Responding to a report that highlighted three NBA officials’ disagreeing from a hypothetical scenario that he’ll be in an NBA roster without Giannis, Thanasis went on to note that he doesn’t bat an eye from what the article intends to portray given the challenging and humble beginnings he had to go through to reach where he is today.
“Everybody has their opinion. But the only time it hurts you is when it’s true. If it’s true, it hurts you. But at the same time, if you know my journey… Bro, I didn’t have what to eat. Who cares about an article? I didn’t have anything to eat. I’m a son of immigrants,” he said. “Regarding some articles, you have to understand that sometimes it’s very kind of like… We live in a very competitive space, and you kind of know what’s going on.
“If you’re doing something good, what was the reason for that report? Who was trying to prove what? I didn’t say anything controversial. I don’t do anything controversial. I just do my job and go home.”
The older brother of Giannis, the 31-year-old Antetokounmpo has been in the Milwaukee Bucks since the 2019-20 NBA season. He initially entered the league as a second-round cager last 2015-16 as a member of the New York Knicks, but went on to spend the next three years back home in Europe.
Often drawing massive attention around the league due to his explosive demeanor as the Bucks’ hype man and focal moral support off the bench, Thanasis also obtains plenty of heckling from many as his existence in the NBA is being linked to the perceived appeasement of Giannis who stands as the cornerstone of the Milwaukee franchise.
In four seasons with the Bucks, Thanasis is considerably a mere rotational player based on his low numbers alone. For 162 games played, he only averaged 2.7 points and 1.8 boards in 8.3 minutes played.
Regardless if he’s just within the Bucks franchise because of his younger brother or not, Thanasis indeed still holds a key value as his locker room presence significantly hands Giannis and the veteran-laden squad a needed morale boost.
Upon inking a one-year, $2.3MM veteran’s minimum deal back in Milwaukee this offseason, Thanasis has a chance to even prove doubters wrong as he and the Bucks are now set to be mentored anew.
But as it is, it seems that the veteran is living his best life already amid the public’s negative perception of his NBA play.
