The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo forgoes NSFW approval because of his legacy

Giannis Antetokounmpo is already guaranteed a spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, will likely be considered one of the 30 greatest players in NBA history, and is swimming in money. The only question surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks’ one-of-a-kind superstar is how big of an impact he will have on the game when he retires.

That’s what keeps him going, especially as he prepares for the NBA Cup Championship Game. Milwaukee (14-11) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (20-5) will compete for prize money worth more than $500,000,000 per player on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Antetokounmpo knows what that amount of money can do for the younger guys and role players on the team who don’t make eye-popping dollar amounts, and he’s determined to help enrich their lives.

Personally, however, the 2021 NBA Finals MVP and two-time regular season MVP uses his legacy as a primary source of motivation.

“There has to be something inside you that wakes you up every day so that you can put your body through the stress that we put our bodies through. To me, that just means creating more art,” Antetokounmpo told media Brett Siegel on Monday, according to ClutchPoints Insider. “Creating more moments that I can remember, creating more of a legacy. For myself and for something that my kids can look back on and say, ‘Damn, my dad was a bad teacher when he played.'”

Giannis and the Bucks want to make a statement in the NBA Cup Finals

Antetokounmpo celebrated his 30th birthday at the beginning of December, which is an old age for athletes who are almost two meters tall. It’s only natural that he reflects on what he’s achieved and the great opportunities that lie ahead. An in-season tournament crown won’t compare to the bliss that the Greek Freak and other members of the Bucks experienced when they won the Larry O’Brien Trophy a few years ago, but winning the NBA Cup means a lot for the version 2024-25 this franchise.

Milwaukee has not returned to the Eastern Conference finals since winning the title. Mike Budenholzer and Adrian Griffin were both controversially fired from their respective head coaching positions. Antetokounmpo was criticized for his “no failure in sports” comments after the team was eliminated in the first round of the 2023 playoffs by the Miami Heat. And the acquisition of Damian Lillard did not bring the fruitful results that the organization envisioned last season.

A 2-8 start to this campaign added to the Bucks’ list of shortcomings. However, immediately after that everything started clicking. Doc Rivers’ team has won 12 of its last 15 games and is currently in sixth place in the East standings. Through his tremendous performances – 32.7 points (league best), 11.5 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.6 blocks and a career-high 61.4 field goals in 23 games – Giannis Antetokounmpo is putting Milwaukee back in the championship conversation.

There’s still a steep hill to climb, most of it in the form of the Boston Celtics, but the Bucks are undeniably on the rise. You can advance further by conquering the charged thunder in the “Entertainment Capital of the World.” This could be a crucial step toward a season that Antetokounmpo hopes will strengthen his legacy.