LeBron James
Giannis Antetokounmpo left Los Angeles with a win and a moment that felt bigger than the final score. After the Milwaukee Bucks edged the Los Angeles Lakers 105-101, Antetokounmpo walked off the floor with LeBron James’ jersey, a keepsake that carried weight beyond the box score.
The exchange followed a rare head-to-head meeting between two of the NBA’s defining superstars. For Antetokounmpo, the moment mattered because opportunities to face James have grown scarce. Speaking after the game, the Bucks star explained why he asked for the jersey and why the night felt different.
“I just asked for it,” Antetokounmpo said when a reporter questioned how he got James’ jersey. “You never know. Might be our last game against one another. I hadn’t played him since 2022. He had a couple of injuries since that time. Had the opportunity in 2026, four years later to play against him. So I just asked him. I said, ‘Hey, can I have the jersey?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s yours.’”
Before the exchange, Antetokounmpo also praised James as a model for athletes everywhere, calling him “the blueprint” for sustaining excellence across decades, per Bleacher Report. That respect framed a night where the competition matched the sentiment.
Giannis, LeBron Deliver in Rare Head-to-Head
Friday marked the first time Antetokounmpo and James shared the floor since Dec. 2, 2022. With only two regular-season meetings between the Bucks and Lakers, the long gap made this matchup feel like an event rather than routine scheduling.
Both stars delivered. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks. James countered with 26 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds, and three steals as he tried to will Los Angeles to another late comeback.
The one-on-one battle swung the game. Antetokounmpo came up with two crucial defensive plays on James in the final minute, including a block that kept the score tied at 101 and set the stage for Milwaukee to close it out. Those stops proved decisive in a game where every possession mattered.
For much of the night, the Lakers hung around despite playing from behind. The contest tightened late, and the spotlight shifted squarely onto Antetokounmpo and James trading blows on both ends.
Late-Game Stops Seal Bucks Win
The closing stretch carried extra significance. Before Friday, Los Angeles stood 13-0 this season in games decided by five points or fewer. That streak ended when Antetokounmpo stepped up defensively at the biggest moment.
“Down the stretch, I just wanted to take the challenge,” Antetokounmpo said. “I wanted to stay in front of him as best I could. Because you knew that he’s going to make a play. He’s not going to pass it. And it worked out in my favor.”
With Luka Doncic fouled out, James took on the responsibility of trying to finish the game himself. Antetokounmpo answered by meeting him at the rim and on the perimeter, changing the outcome with effort and timing.
Milwaukee escaped with the four-point win, improving its recent form since Antetokounmpo returned from injury. The Lakers fell to 23-13, and the night ended with the focus less on the standings and more on the significance of the matchup itself.
For Antetokounmpo, the jersey exchange captured the moment. The Bucks star acknowledged the reality that chances to face James no longer come often. On a night when they finally crossed paths again, both delivered, and Antetokounmpo left knowing it might have been the last time.