Giannis Antetokounmpo has firmly stated his immediate priorities lie with regaining full fitness and revitalising the Milwaukee Bucks' season, rather than engaging with persistent speculation surrounding his future with the team.
The basketball star’s comments mark his first public address since a 3 December ESPN report suggested his agent, Alex Saratsis, was in discussions with Bucks officials regarding his long-term prospects in Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo subsequently sustained a right calf strain during a victory against the Detroit Pistons that same evening and has been sidelined since.
Addressing the media during a 24-minute session, Antetokounmpo acknowledged the nature of agent-client relationships.
"There’s going to be conversations that are going to be made between [my agent] and the Bucks, and him and his other players, and him and other teams and other GMs, executives around the league," he explained.
"It’s something that you can’t control. But, at the end of the day, I personally have not had the conversation with the Bucks. I’m still locked in, locked in on my teammates. Most importantly, locked in on me getting back healthy."
The intensifying rumors about Antetokounmpo’s future coincide with a challenging period for the Bucks.
Their 111-105 defeat to the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night saw Milwaukee’s record drop to 11-17, including a concerning 2-9 tally in games without their star player.
Antetokounmpo’s recent calf injury followed a swift return from a left adductor strain he suffered last month.
The nine-time All-NBA forward, who turned 31 on 6 December, suggested that his rapid comeback might have contributed to the subsequent calf issue.
"Maybe it was a mistake of me coming back a little bit earlier, because once I come back, now you’re overcompensating," Antetokounmpo reflected.
"The only way you can pop your soleus is by overcompensating and then having an extreme amount of load or play a lot of games in a short period of time. Again, I think all of the things that I was thinking and trying to come back led to the incident that I had with my soleus."
This season is considered pivotal for the Bucks, largely due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Antetokounmpo’s commitment.
Prior to the season, ESPN reported that the Bucks and New York Knicks had engaged in trade discussions concerning Antetokounmpo in August, though these talks ultimately failed to gain traction.
Antetokounmpo had previously told reporters he was "locked in" with the Bucks but conceded that his stance could change in the future.
The notion that Antetokounmpo might request a trade has since become a dominant topic within the NBA.
"This is the most I’ve been ever talked about in my career," Antetokounmpo admitted.
"I’m in my house with my kids and all that and I’m opening the TV and it’s like, ‘Oh, Giannis is going to the Memphis Grizzlies,’ or ‘Giannis is going to the Detroit Pistons.’ Which, hey man, I’m not going to lie, I’m the hottest chick in the game right now. No, I’m joking."
Antetokounmpo expressed that the constant conjecture about his future has been difficult for both his family and the team.
He confirmed having informal conversations with his teammates to offer encouragement and reassurance.
"I’m never going to have a meeting with my teammates and sit everybody down and talk about like, ‘Hey guys, hey, if we don’t win I’m going to get out of here,’" he stated. "Like, come on. We’re grown … men. That’s not going to happen.
“They’re grown, too. I think they understand the deal. You’ve just got to give urgency to the team. Like, ‘Guys, this is like serious. Who are we trying to be? We’ve got to turn this around. We have time to turn this around.’ And you’ve got to have a little bit more urgency."
He added: "I think I’ve had the conversation with the coach about it. I think I’ve had the conversation with individual players about it.
“I’ve been approached by teammates and asked about the rumours because it also might affect their own life and their own career. I’m straight with them, whatever that answer might be."
While Antetokounmpo had hoped in October not to address his future for the remainder of the season, he now understands the topic will persist because "when people see cracks, they see opportunity to get in through those cracks."
However, his immediate concern remains returning to the court and helping the Bucks achieve consistent victories.
"At the end of the day we’re fighting for our lives," Antetokounmpo concluded. "Like, we’ve got to win a game. So, rumours won’t help us win a game. Or, you know, anything else. We’ve just got to focus on basketball."
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