The Bucks superstar secured his 10th career All-Star selection and starting spot — the longest in the NBA.
13 years ago, Giannis Antetokounmpo was a mysterious, lanky prospect from Greece whom the Milwaukee Bucks took a chance on with their No. 14 overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft.
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Fast forward to 2026, Giannis finds himself an all-time great and one of the best players in the world. He's an NBA champion, a two-time MVP and now, a 10-time All-Star after it was announced this Tuesday that he is an Eastern Conference starter in this year's All-Star Game.
"If I probably told myself when I was young, that’d be 10 times All-Star, I probably would not believe it," he told reporters after the Bucks' 112-110 win over the Atlanta Hawks. "I think when I came to the league, I had this meeting with John Hammond and Dave Morway, the GM and assistant GM of the Bucks, and they told me, 'Hey, look at all these guys—Paul Pierce, Tracy McGrady. They’ve been 10-time All-Stars. You can be one of those guys.' And I’m like, 'You really believe that?' He was like, 'Yeah, if you work hard and you have the tools to be one of those guys.'
"I kind of took that and installed it in my heart. I never said it publicly, but one of my goals as a player was to be a 10-time All-Star, and I’m very happy that I accomplished it."
Giannis clinched his 10th consecutive All-Star selection and starting gig, which now stands as the longest league-wide.
He ranked second behind Luka Doncic in total overall votes. Antetokounmpo's 3.2 million votes came up short of the LA Lakers star's 3.4 million.
As such, he joins Jaylen Brown (Boston), Jalen Brunson (New York), Cade Cunningham (Detroit) and Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia) among starters voted for the Eastern Conference.
Antetokounmpo appeared in 28 games this season. He is averaging 28.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists with a career-best 64.5 percent shooting in 29.0 minutes.
This year's NBA All-Star Game will be held in Los Angeles on Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome. In the end, Antetokounmpo stands humbled and thankful for another career milestone.
"I want to thank everybody who has helped me on this journey," he said. "I want to thank God for keeping me healthy, for keeping me hungry, for protecting me throughout this journey.
"It’s been incredible, but it doesn’t stop here. There’s more to go, and I can’t wait for whatever chapter is next."
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