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By STEVE MEGARGEE, AP Sports activities Author
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo mentioned he appreciated the love the town of Milwaukee has proven him ever since his arrival as an 18-year-old rookie from Greece.
So the reigning two-time MVP determined to point out his loyalty to the place the place he’s spent his whole NBA profession.
“It’s the place I wish to be,” Antetokounmpo mentioned Wednesday, someday after signing a supermax extension with the Bucks. “It’s the place I wish to increase my children. I really feel good right here. My household feels good right here, so I’m good.”
Antetokounmpo might have turn out to be a free agent on the finish of the upcoming season if he hadn’t agreed to the deal, reportedly a five-year extension price $228 million. Loads of NBA groups had been arranging their monetary plans with the hope the 6-foot-11 “Greek Freak” would turn out to be out there.
He as an alternative caught round and mentioned it was essential to him that his loyalty be thought-about a part of his legacy.
“I’m a person of my phrase,” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “That is large. That is large. Being on a crew that trusted me, believed in me, took care of me, took care of my household. I at all times wish to give again and I’ve been attempting to provide again since day one, since I’ve been right here. I’ve obtained extra to provide.”
Household means a lot to Antetokounmpo, who turned a father earlier this 12 months and has one brother (Thanasis) on the Bucks and one other (Kostas) on the Los Angeles Lakers.
As he mentioned what this contract extension means to him, he referenced his personal father, Charles Antetokounmpo, who died of a coronary heart assault in September 2017.
“I do know he’s dancing proper now,” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “He’s extraordinarily completely satisfied for what we’ve achieved and he’s extraordinarily pleased with us and who we’re as human beings.”
Antetokounmpo is hoping to provide the Bucks their first NBA title since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led them to the 1971 championship. The Bucks have posted the NBA’s finest regular-season report every of the final two years however misplaced to Miami in a second-round sequence final season after falling to Toronto within the 2019 Japanese Convention finals.
Antetokounmpo says he believes he can win a title in Milwaukee and famous that the Bucks have a “nice tradition.” However he additionally notes that constructing a championship crew is a step-by-step course of.
“It’s powerful as a result of on the finish of the day, nowhere you go, nowhere you’re is a assure to win a championship,” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “However I do know who I’m and I do know that I’m a person of my phrases. It would take me 10 years, I’d by no means win a championship or I’d win 5. Regardless of the case could also be, I do know who I’m, I do know what I imagine and I do know that I caught with the individuals who believed in me.”
He stored a few of them guessing all the best way to the tip.
Antetokounmpo, 26, mentioned he didn’t let any teammates know his choice earlier than asserting it on social media as a result of he didn’t need the information to leak. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer mentioned he came upon whereas pulling out of a parking storage when he noticed that his sons had texted him the tweet with Antetokounmpo’s announcement.
“Gamers like Giannis are very, very uncommon and really, very distinctive,” Budenholzer mentioned. “This dedication from him simply means the world to all of us. He believes within the metropolis, he believes within the group and he believes in his teammates. You simply really feel like you’ve gotten an opportunity to do one thing particular due to his specialness.”
Antetokounmpo already has carried out extra for the Bucks then they ever might have imagined once they chosen him with the 15th choose within the 2013 draft. The 2-time MVP and reigning NBA defensive participant of the 12 months believes there’s nonetheless extra to do.
“Having the ability to give again to this metropolis and this group means so much,” Antetokounmpo mentioned. “I’ll be ecstatic if we might have the ability to convey a championship to Milwaukee. I’ll be in all probability the happiest individual ever.”
Extra AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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