“It’s an opportunity to win something collectively. What that can mean for the morale of the team, the cohesion of the team, it’s really an opportunity for a team to win and to have a breakthrough by succeeding in something that requires confidence.”
As for Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo has his eyes fixed on the NBA Cup trophy, which he hopes to bring back to Wisconsin this evening after the final against Oklahoma City.
Like others, the “Greek Freak” was led to confide in his motivations to go to the end and add a new line to his list of achievements. The financial factor is part of it, particularly for the players on the squad who have much more precarious contracts than his and who will have the opportunity to get their hands on half a million dollars more. But the love of the game remains dominant compared to the rest.
“It's a joke that we have between us in the locker room, when we say that we are going to play for the youngest because this money will be very important to them, and that is the case for everyone. world because it's a lot of money”, he first declared. “But personally, I try not to think about the money, but more about the game. I like playing basketball. I don't play basketball for the money anymore. I don't like to lie, and it's true, of course, that when you come into the league you want to take care of your family. You want to send your brothers to a better school than yours, you want to give your parents a better life, buy your mom a house, all these stories about the path of athletes. But at some point, if that’s what motivates you, you won’t go far.”
Mark his era
His personal fortune necessarily encourages him to go beyond financial considerations, he who will receive nearly 49 million this season, victory in the NBA Cup final or not, and nearly 60 million next season.
At this stage of his career, what motivates him above all is to leave a mark in the NBA, and that involves strong moments, and inevitably titles.
“There has to be something in you that wakes you up every day to put your body through all that stress. You know what we put our bodies through, it's just to create more art, create more moments that we can remember, create a bigger legacy for me or something that my kids can look back on later and say: 'Damn, my dad was a f***ing gambler when he played' he added.
Still with the same idea of making history, Giannis Antetokounmpo had also slipped in his other dearest wish: to last, taking inspiration from the extraordinary longevity of LeBron James. He will have another opportunity to follow his path this evening since the winner of the 2024 NBA Cup will succeed his Lakers, who won the previous edition against the Pacers.
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2013-14 | MIL | 77 | 25 | 41.4 | 34.7 | 68.3 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 6.8 |
| 2014-15 | MIL | 81 | 31 | 49.1 | 15.9 | 74.1 | 1.2 | 5.5 | 6.7 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 12.7 |
| 2015-16 | MIL | 80 | 35 | 50.6 | 25.7 | 72.4 | 1.4 | 6.2 | 7.7 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 16.9 |
| 2016-17 | MIL | 80 | 36 | 52.1 | 27.2 | 77.0 | 1.8 | 7.0 | 8.8 | 5.4 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 22.9 |
| 2017-18 | MIL | 75 | 37 | 52.9 | 30.7 | 76.0 | 2.1 | 8.0 | 10.0 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 26.9 |
| 2018-19 ★ | MIL | 72 | 33 | 57.8 | 25.6 | 72.9 | 2.2 | 10.3 | 12.5 | 5.9 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 27.7 |
| 2019-20 ★ | MIL | 63 | 30 | 55.3 | 30.4 | 63.3 | 2.2 | 11.4 | 13.6 | 5.6 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 29.5 |
| 2020-21 | MIL | 61 | 33 | 56.9 | 30.3 | 68.5 | 1.6 | 9.4 | 11.0 | 5.9 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 28.1 |
| 2021-22 | MIL | 67 | 33 | 55.3 | 29.3 | 72.2 | 2.0 | 9.6 | 11.6 | 5.8 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 29.9 |
| 2022-23 | MIL | 63 | 32 | 55.3 | 27.5 | 64.5 | 2.2 | 9.6 | 11.8 | 5.7 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 3.9 | 0.8 | 31.1 |
| 2023-24 | MIL | 73 | 35 | 61.1 | 27.4 | 65.7 | 2.7 | 8.8 | 11.5 | 6.5 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 30.4 |
| 2024-25 | MIL | 23 | 35 | 61.4 | 17.6 | 61.5 | 2.0 | 9.5 | 11.5 | 6.1 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 32.7 |
| Total | 815 | 33 | 54.8 | 28.5 | 69.8 | 1.8 | 8.0 | 9.8 | 4.9 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 23.6 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
