MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo put together a dominant performance on Tuesday night to lead the Milwaukee Bucks past the New York Knicks on national television, then brushed off rumors that over the summer he had contemplated a future in the Big Apple.
As Antetokounmpo sat at the podium after putting up 37 points, eight rebounds and seven assists on 16 of 22 shooting in the Bucks’ 121-111 win, he was asked about an ESPN report that the Knicks were the only team that he had interest in playing for outside of Milwaukee.
“Who said that? I don’t read that. I don’t remember that. Right now I’m here, representing my team and that’s it,” Antetokounmpo said. “We beat the Knicks. [The trade rumor] doesn’t really matter. What matters right now is we have a game in two days against Golden State, try to stay locked in and get two in a row. I didn’t read that article. Try to stay away from all that — rumors, speculation and trades and all this. It doesn’t concern me one bit.”
Antetokounmpo has been phenomenal to start the season. He’s scored at least 30 points in all four of the Bucks’ games, and is averaging 36.3 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists on 69.5% shooting. He seemed to have some extra juice on Tuesday as he helped the Bucks improve to 3-1, though he said it was only because the Knicks swept the Bucks last season.
In one sequence in the third quarter, Antetokounmpo rose for a big block on Mikal Bridges, then threw down a slam on the other end, which forced a Knicks timeout. He gestured for the crowd to rise to its feet as he walked to the bench, and appeared to yell, “This is my city!” followed by something else. (He claimed postgame that he then added, “I love when it’s tough. I thrive when it’s tough. When you make it tough, I thrive.” The video does not appear to corroborate that.)
“Yeah, for sure, there was a lot extra [to this game]. They swept us last year. Swept us,” Antetokounmpo said. “They were way better than us last year and we didn’t make it tough for them. It was very easy, in my opinion. And as the leader of this team, I remember. I don’t forget things and I try to, from early at shootaround, set the tone for the team and try to remind them ‘last year, they swept us, same as the Cavs.’ So I think the team responded in the best way, so I’m happy.”
Antetokounmpo has been asked about trade rumors multiple times in the last month, starting with media day, when he acknowledged that there was truth to offseason reports that he had thought about leaving Milwaukee. During training camp, though, he made it clear that he was committed to the Bucks for the remainder of the season and would give the team his all as long as he remains in town.
“First of all, I haven’t read that story. When the season starts, I try to get off social media and I try to focus on my craft and the team, but yeah, I’ve said this many times, I want to be in a situation that I can win and now I’m here,” Antetokounmpo said on Oct. 8, one day after Shams Charania’s ESPN report. “I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates. I’m here to lead this team to wherever we can go and it’s definitely going to be hard. We’re going to take it day-by-day, but I’m here. So all the extra stuff does not matter.”
During that same Oct. 8 press conference, however, he also said that he could change his mind in “six, seven months” if the team is not heading in the right direction. As a result, the trade rumors are going to follow him until he signs an extension with the Bucks, asks for a trade or hits free agency, which he can do in 2027 if he opts out of the final year of his deal.
For now, though, it’s clear that the entire saga has not affected his performance on the court.
“I don’t have time [to be distracted]. I’m not going to lie to you. I have four kids, I have a seven-month old, two-year old, four-year old and five-year old. So brother, I don’t have time to read [rumors]. Even if I wanted to pay attention to stuff like that, my life doesn’t let me,” Antetokounmpo said Tuesday.
“I have four little gremlins running around, I have my craft that I gotta improve, and then I gotta lead the team and then I’ve got other things. I got my wife, I got my mother, I got my brothers, I gotta go to church. Man, I ain’t got time for all that. So I’m being very, very honest with you. I just love playing basketball and I try to speak on the court.”
