Vincent Frank
Two-time NBA MVP and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is among the best basketball players on the planet.
The 28-year-old Antetokounmpo has been seen in this light since his breakout season with the Bucks back in 2016-17.
Heading into the NBA Playoffs, there’s absolutely no reason to believe that Antetokounmpo won’t continue playing at a dominant level.
Though, a recent revelation from the Greek Freak himself seems to indicate that we almost saw the last of Giannis back in 2020. Speaking with Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Antetokounmpo reveals that he seriously considered retirement during that COVID-centric year.
“In 2020, I was ready to walk away from the game,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “If something doesn’t make me happy, I don’t do it. I don’t want to do it. I’m just going to stay home, stay with my kids, stay with my family and try to be happy. I don’t care.”
Antetokounmpo continued by stating that he had conversations with the Bucks’ front office about retirement shortly after signing a record-breaking five-year, $228 million contract extension.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, mental health and retirement talk
For the game’s most dominant player, considering retirement had as much to do with what he was dealing with off the court than on the court. Like everyone, 2020 brought a ton of stress to Antetokounmpo due to the unprecedented (in modern times) worldwide pandemic.
“I kept talking with this (counselor). He helped me a lot – not just being a better basketball player, being able to deal with it; but being a better partner, better father, better brother, better son. Better person,” Antetokounmpo said. “Being not locked into myself, being able to give people what I feel. Because at one point, I was trying to get away from everybody. And that’s not me; I’m very social. I like to interact with other people.”
Fast forward three years, and Antetokounmpo is at the top of his game while looking to win a second NBA Championship in Milwaukee.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo stats (2022-23): 31.1 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 5.7 APG, 55% shooting
It is surprising that we came close to not seeing this iteration of Antetokounmpo over the past couple seasons. It also goes to show us that these star athletes are more than just stats, money and entertainment. They deal with stuff in their personal lives like the rest of us.
Giannis and his Bucks open the 2023 NBA Playoffs Sunday against an unnamed opponent. The team will either take on the Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors or Chicago Bulls in the first round.
