Giannis Antetokounmpo returns to his official blog on his birthday and shares his thoughts and his feelings with our readers and his fans!
His strong start to the season, the impressive stats, the recent win over the champions of LeBron James’s Cleveland Cavaliers, the response to the words of Greek – American legend Nikos Galis, and the way he sees everything that’s been happening in his life lately!
Before you enjoy him, let us just wish him a happy birthday and good health, success, and family happiness. Our only wish? For him to stay the same and keep working hard every day. All the rest will follow!
We have a lot to prove
Hello to everyone! The first part of the regular period of the NBA is already behind us and so far we’ve had good moments and bad ones. We pulled off some important wins, some good performances away from home, but we also lost games that we could have and should have won like the last one Vs the San Antonio Spurs.
At the end of the journey we are going to take stock and, personally, I don’t allow myself to dwell too much on one good performance or a bad night. The point is to learn how to win and find a way to have the same level of intensity and energy in defense and offense, like for example we had against the Cavaliers.
This will make us a better and more effective team, the duration at high standards of performance will change our level, bring us more wins, make us a playoff team.
I know that we have a future ahead of us and that we’re building something powerful in Milwaukee. But I am focused on the present and each game individually. I want, when the season ends, to be able to look ourselves in the mirror and say: ‘Yes, we did our best, we gave everything we had.’
We’ve learned to live without Khris Middleton, even though we miss him a lot. We have to stabilize the level of the defense we play, to use our athleticism in the right way, and become even smarter in defense. In offense, we want to create situations on the open court, where we have so many abilities, and improve in the 5-on-5 and in half-court situations.
Owners and front office are doing a great job
The organization is working feverishly with a vision and passion that is… carried over to our team. Great selections were made in the draft with Malcolm Brogdon and Thon Maker! Malcolm has been helping out a lot. The guy is already playing like a veteran! Thon has a lot of talent and he owns the future. The same goes for the free agency.
We signed Dellavedova, who is a great guard, helps out the team a great deal, and has recent experience with… winning the ring! And when Middleton’s injury occurred, we signed Michael Beasley, and you can see how important a role he has and how much he contributes in every aspect of the game.
Once again, the GΜ did an amazing job and our owners have a vision for the Bucks, the present and future of the franchise. All this goes to show that, in Milwaukee, the foundations are already in place to build something big. We all dream of it, we’re all working towards it!
I want my teammates to love me!
With regard to myself, I’m trying hard to do credit to Jason Kidd, who trusts me as a point guard. To place my teammates in the right positions, to provide them with opportunities to score, to improve as a creator and decision maker. I’ve understood well that I’ll contribute more and be who I need to be for the Bucks if I help to ensure that all of my teammates give 100% and not if I score more points!
Besides, isn’t this the job of a playmaker? I’m not interested in making personal records in points and proving that I can be a scorer. I want to earn the respect of my teammates because I’m going to be the one who, every night, will be doing everything it takes to make them feel good and unleash the maximum of their abilities on the court! This is the key, this is my goal for which I strive every day, and the experience of games helps me evolve.
You don’t become a great team or a great player overnight
My dream is not just to have a good career with big numbers in the NBA. My dream is to prove over the years that I’m a winner and to accomplish great things at a team level.
Numbers are good, as are records, as are big wins. But being a winner and proving it with results, does not compare to anything! I know I have what it takes.
I know I can contribute a lot of things in all areas. The point is to do it for the benefit of the Milwaukee Bucks and do my part so that this team that trusted me can one day make history!
We beat the Cavaliers. A big win. But it counts… as a win like all others. It gives us nothing more than confidence and belief in our abilities. You don’t become a great team when you win games like these, but you don’t go very far in the league either. You don’t become a great player if you have good nights against LeBron, Durant, Curry, Carmelo, Westbrook, and in the end your team has achieved nothing important.
My gift is the faith the Bucks have in me and the love of the fans!
I feel that I’m a very lucky guy. I do what I love, I enjoy it, and through it I help my family and my loved ones. Today, I become 22 years of age and I feel truly blessed.
I don’t want a gift, I’ve already gotten it, I receive it every day. It’s the faith the Bucks have in me, the love that the organization gives me, my teammates, the people of our city, and of course my family.
I am the one who is obliged to give back these gifts and this is the promise I make to myself every day. ‘Giannis, don’t stop working. Giannis, give back to the Bucks this joy and this faith, make the people that trusted you and who are supporting you happy, do right by them!’ It’s not easy, it’s not going to happen from one day to the next, but by giving everything I have every day for this goal, I feel like I’m on the right track, that I’m doing the right thing.
Thank you Mr. Galis!
I was very happy when I read what Nikos Galis said about me. I was disappointed that we didn’t manage to see him up close in the Antetokounbros in Thessaloniki, but I continue to hope that some day we’ll find ourselves on the same court!
I’m very flattered by your words and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Thank you so much Mr. Galis! I’ve only enjoyed you through videos, but from what I’ve seen, I know that I’ll never be able to score baskets like you did! I understand, though, your enormous value and contribution to Greek basketball! When I was a boy or a teenager and I went to practice, I tried to emulate and think like Papaloukas, Diamantidis, Spanoulis, and other great Greek players.
They influenced and shaped my basketball DNA and the way I approach the sport. I’ve read in their interviews that you urged them to get out on the open courts and play basketball. And that says it all!
This is a dream of mine. To realize, when I will have stopped playing, that I was a motivating force and a model for the next Greek generations to play basketball and, first to become better people through it and then good players. That would make me very proud.
I was happy about Barack Obama’s reference
Barack Obama’s mention of my name in his speech while he was in Athens also made me very happy. I met him when we visited the White House and we all know that he’s a man who really loves basketball. The fact that when the president of the USA thought of Greece, he had my name in mind too, is a big honor for me. I haven’t hidden the fact that one of my biggest dreams is to represent and advertise my country whenever I have the chance. It’s something that makes me happy and gives me a great amount of joy.
The extra motivation
Fortunately, I am one of those athletes who know how to refuel themselves with motivation and I judge myself very harshly. But I can’t lie, though. The love and support of the fans is something special and a very powerful extra incentive.
To the Bucks fans I just want to say a big thank you. All together, we can reach very high. We lack nothing and time is on our side! We only need to have faith in one another and positive energy.
To the Greek fans, even though I don’t have the time to read all the messages or to respond, I owe a big thank you for their support, which has to be… double. Because, to watch me, they have to stay up all night and that is very hard! Believe me, I understand that well and I really appreciate it. I’m a guy who, after the practices and the exhaustion of the whole day, after 12 at night I… nod off!
Be well everyone! Take advantage of every day like it deserves and chase your dreams in the way that you feel and not the way that others might often want to impose on you!
Giannis