Giannis Antetokounmpo declined to address his long-term future with the Milwaukee Bucks following Tuesday’s 119-118 overtime loss to the Indiana Pacers, which ended their season in five games.
Asked postgame whether he still believes he can win a second championship in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo cut the question short and responded, “I’m not going to do this,” before walking away from the topic.
His silence on the matter comes after a night where the Bucks let multiple late leads slip away, including a seven-point advantage in the final minute of overtime.
Tyrese Haliburton delivered the game-winning layup with 1.3 seconds left, capping an 8-0 Pacers run to eliminate Milwaukee in front of a raucous crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Antetokounmpo posted a 30-point, 20-rebound, 13-assist triple-double, but it wasn’t enough to offset the absence of Damian Lillard, who missed Game 5 with a torn Achilles.
Milwaukee committed 17 turnovers, including two in the final 30 seconds of the extra period, one of which was a misfired inbounds pass by Gary Trent Jr. that led to Haliburton’s decisive basket.
Despite the loss, Antetokounmpo praised his teammates’ effort and said he remains proud of how they competed.
“I think I’m very, very proud of everybody,” he said. “Everybody played their heart out.”
When pressed on what hurt the most, Antetokounmpo referenced Lillard, saying the team owed the game to him after his effort to return from injury.
“What hurts me the most—I feel like we owed this game to Dame,” he said. “The least we can do is show up and win a game for Dame.”
The Bucks have now failed to advance past the first round in four straight seasons since winning the NBA title in 2021.
Antetokounmpo reaffirmed his respect for Doc Rivers and called him a “great human being” with unmatched experience.
The 30-year-old forward, who signed a three-year, $175 million extension in fall of 2023, is under contract through the 2026-27 season with a player option for 2027-28.
He averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in 73 games this season and was named an MVP finalist alongside Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Although Antetokounmpo didn’t reveal his plans, he made it clear he still believes in the group around him.
“I believed in them today. I believe in them tomorrow. I always believed in them,” he said when asked about the roster.
