The most recent actions of Giannis Antetokounmpo have given the NBA community a great deal to talk about throughout his NBA offseason. As many of us might be aware, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar is still regarded as one of the best players in the league. He managed to finally break through and win a title with the Bucks after the 2021 NBA Finals.
While one would assume Giannis is very happy with his current situation, recent reports discussing his contract negotiations with the Bucks seem to challenge those notions. After hearing that the Greek Freak is unhappy with his current situation, a former NBA star called Gilbert Arenas broke down how Kobe Bryant went through something very similar.
Giannis and Kobe join a small list of loyal superstars in the NBA. However, that does not mean their relationships with their team have always been perfect. With that being said, let us take a closer look at what Arenas had to say when comparing the two NBA greats.
Does Giannis Antetokounmpo want to leave the Milwaukee Bucks?
This is quite a difficult question to answer. Especially since all Antetokounmpo has ever known since coming to the NBA is the city of Milwaukee. Although Giannis managed to disprove doubters by winning his first title, he is likely unsatisfied with his past accomplishments. After all, he has been eliminated twice from the playoffs since then.
Since Giannis’s contract with the Bucks comes to an end in 2025, talks of him resigning an extension with the team were looming. However, Antetokounmpo made it clear that he would not continue to play with the Bucks unless they were on the same page in terms of winning more championships. After all, a franchise’s management decisions play a huge role in their postseason success.
Gilbert Arenas was in the NBA when Kobe Bryant was facing a similar situation with the Los Angeles Lakers. Here is what he had to say about the similarities between Giannis and Kobe.
“He’s doing what Kobe did right? What are we doing? Before I sign this thing, what are we doing here? I don’t wanna be Allen Iverson. I don’t want to be Charles Barkley. Even though I got a ring, I want to win multiple because that’s what the legacy is built on. So before I sign, we need to all sit-down and make sure we’re all going in the same direction.”
“[Giannis] is doing what Kobe Bryant did… ‘Before I sign this thing, what are we doing here… I wanna win multiple rings, cause that’s what the legacy is built on.’”
Gilbert Arenas on Giannis’ future with the Bucks 🗣️
(via @GilsArenaShow)pic.twitter.com/6rWOJnRdDT
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 29, 2023
Arenas went on to state how Kobe’s demands affected the Lakers. They made a move for Pao Gasol and won two more titles as a result. We wonder if the Bucks will be able to make any good moves shortly with the hopes of keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo happy and in contention.
