During the first episode of NBC’s “The Eye of the Game,” host Austin Rivers brought out a wild chasedown block Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered on Jayson Tatum in 2019, letting the Milwaukee Bucks star revisit one of the most electric defensive plays of his career.
“I LOVE clips like this. I’m thinking about the days in Greece where I had NOTHING to eat. NO SUPERSTAR Sprints like this”
– Giannis looking back at old chase down footage with Austin Rivers pic.twitter.com/XUlOclFRb8
— Follow HeavenlyBuckets (@Heavenlybuckets) November 18, 2025
When Rivers brought up the play, Antetokounmpo immediately laid out what he saw unfolding, describing how he sprinted to recover, rose with Tatum at the peak of his jump, and sent the dunk attempt right back.
Oct 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) look on during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
“This is my heart,” the Greek Freak remarked. “I’m thinking of the days in Greece where I had nothing to eat, like nobody sprints like this. No superstar sprints like this.”
If anyone was going to wipe out that Tatum dunk, it was Antetokounmpo with his remarkable athletic ability. Even so, the replay shows a moment where most players would simply back off because Tatum looked too far ahead and ready for an uncontested finish. Giannis refused to ease up and chased it down anyway.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s different motivation
Nov 14, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) punts his fist following a Milwaukee Bucks score during the third quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Antetokounmpo’s drive comes from a very different place. He spent his childhood in a tight financial spot as the son of Nigerian immigrants who moved to Greece in hopes of finding stability. Since they lived in the country without legal papers, Giannis and his brothers were unable to gain Greek citizenship and had no access to state assistance. His mother pieced together income by caring for children, his father relied on handyman work, and the family did everything they could to stretch what little they had.
Giannis’ history has driven him from the moment he entered the league as the fifteenth pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, pushing him to chase down plays that most players would abandon and to pour that same relentless effort into every part of his game.
Nov 3, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates a basket in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Now a two time league MVP, former Defensive Player of the Year, NBA champion and NBA Cup winner, Antetokounmpo continues to sit among the best players in the world. Even with those achievements and more than $388 million earned in his career, he still approaches every game with the same urgency he had when he first broke into the league, competing as if he needs to fight for every opportunity.