Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo brought fireworks to Milwaukee’s 116-114 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night. He scored 15 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and saved his best shot for last, a deep three-pointer that sent Fiserv Forum into chaos, per ESPN.
That bucket wasn’t just big for the Bucks, it carried personal meaning. After sinking the long-range shot, Antetokounmpo turned toward the Mavericks bench and later explained the gesture postgame, Sports Illustrated reports. “That was for him,” Giannis said with a grin, referring to Dallas coach Jason Kidd.
Giannis Goes At Kidd
“When I was younger, he told me not to shoot threes,” Antetokounmpo said. “I was like 19, 20, he told me not to shoot threes. Figure out a way to find angles and facilitate for your teammates, post up. He helped me a lot, but I think he took away from my game when I was younger because I wasn’t able to develop that as fast as I would. So when I made it, I said, ‘That’s for you, for all the torture you put me through.’”
The two shared a long history before Monday’s duel. Kidd coached Antetokounmpo from 2014 to 2018, helping him grow from a lanky forward with potential into a foundation piece for Milwaukee. During that time, Kidd famously pushed him to attack the paint and avoid long jumpers, emphasizing his strength and vision. Those lessons helped Giannis become a dominant force inside, but the Greek Freak never forgot his old coach’s rule about avoiding threes.
The shot served as a lighthearted reminder that Giannis has grown beyond those boundaries, now comfortable letting it fly when the moment calls for it. It was also part of a late-game surge that erased a 13-point deficit and delivered Milwaukee its most dramatic win of the season.
From “Torture” to Trust: Respect Between Giannis and Kidd
Even with the good-natured jab, Giannis kept things in perspective. “Kidd is okay,” he joked, drawing laughter from reporters. “Helped me a lot. One of my mentors, still talk to him to this day. Just to look out for me and tell me, this is what you gotta look out for, this is how you gotta work in order for you to be great, this is how you gotta think about if you want to carry a team. I think it’s big. Just being able to have a guy like that next to you, it’s a blessing.”
He also credited Kidd’s approach for helping him think like a leader. “He was always honest with me,” Giannis said. “Sometimes you don’t like hearing it, but when you look back, it’s what you needed.”
Now, Antetokounmpo believes Kidd can have the same influence on Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, who led Dallas with 26 points in the loss. “Obviously, he has a great coach that will give him the opportunity to have the ball in his hands because that’s very important in our league, especially when you’re young,” Giannis said.
Kidd echoed that sentiment, reflecting on how his experience with Giannis changed his coaching style. “Going through it with Giannis, a lot of people disagreed, but I think it turned out alright,” Kidd said. “You’re in the moment, but also you gotta push to see what’s coming in the future. His passing, his unselfishness — the windows he sees at 6-foot-11, it’s like no other. To use that as a weapon like he does now makes him one of the best players in the world.”
The Bucks’ victory and Giannis’ full-circle moment offered both men a reminder of how far they’ve come. For all the “torture” Giannis mentioned, the respect remains, built on years of challenge, trust, and evolution — with a splash of humor from deep range to seal the night.