There is a lot ofuncertainty about the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Milwaukee Bucks. With theNBA trade deadlineabout to lapse this coming Thursday, the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player remains with the only team he’s only played for so far in his career in the league.
But regardless of whether he stays or gets sent somewhere else by Milwaukee, there is one thing that will never change about Antetokounmpo, and that’s none other than his love for the city.
Here’s what Antetokounmpo said about his loyalty to the city of Milwaukee (viaJim Owczarski of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel):
“So here, I’ll tell you what I’ve known here. I’ve known what it is to be an NBA player, what it is to make it to the NBA. I’ve learned what it is to be an all-star player. I’ve learned how to be a champion. I’ve learned how to be an MVP.
I’ve learned how to be a father. I got married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. And also, legally, from the courthouse. And also, I’ve had my kids here. My father is buried here. So tell me you, when I open the passport of my kids and it says born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my dad is buried here, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“So people have the audacity to come tell me and say ‘this guy really doesn’t love Milwaukee.’ I don’t love Milwaukee? Not the people that know. The people of the city know how much I love them. This city has let me be myself, let me be father, have let me [be] a husband, have let me be my own, true, self.
Bucks’ Antetokounmpo will always have Milwaukee in his heart
Antetokounmpo entered the NBA in 2013, when the Bucks welcomed him with open arms as the 15th overall pick in that year’s draft.
Going from Greece to the United States was a huge undertaking for the then-teenager Antetokounmpo, but the city nurtured and played a huge role in shaping him into what he’s become.
In 889 games played so far in Bucks threads, the 31-year-old Antetokounmpo has averaged 24.0 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists.
Jan 23, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
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