Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has taken a clear stance regarding his future with the team amid trade rumors.
Antetokounmpo says that he wants to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of his career. The 10-time All-Star told Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
"Brother, if you ask me deep down what I want today, I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career," Antetokounmpo said. "I want to win here, another championship. And if you can tell me that's possible, let's just hang up the phone.
"You know basketball. You see basketball. You understand basketball. You've been around greatness. You've been around a championship team. You've been around a good culture. You've been around when the popcorn was popping. You were around; you saw it. If you tell me that that's possible, we can hang up the phone and keep on moving with our day."
With a little less than 24 hours until the end of the trade deadline, the rumors surrounding Antetokounmpo and his future in Milwaukee are still at the forefront of the NBA world. Many reports indicate that Antetokounmpo’s time in Milwaukee is numbered, whether that is as soon as Thursday or by the summer months.
When asked if staying a Buck for the rest of his career would mean anything to him, the Greek Freak pointed to his love for the city.
"We always go back to the Bucks, the Bucks, the Bucks, and if I'm going to stay here, if I'm not gonna stay here," Antetokounmpo said. "Let's put the Bucks on the side for one second. Let's talk about the city itself, the memories that I've created here. When you open my kids' passports, it says Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I had four kids in the span of the last five years in this city. My dad is buried in this city. I've built a house for my mom 10 seconds away from my house. Literally, to walk to my mom's front door, it takes me four seconds … right next door.
"On what planet, on what Earth, would somebody want to leave this?"
No matter how Antetokounmpo frames his future with the Bucks, there's always something that suggests his time in Milwaukee might not be permanent.
Is Giannis Antetokounmpo the Greatest Buck of All-Time?
The Greek Freak has established himself as one of the best players in the history of the game, and that is certainly true when it comes to the Bucks organization.
Antetokounmpo is first in games played, minutes played, assists, blocks, rebounds, points, field goals, and triple-doubles. He’s also led the Bucks to their second title in franchise history in 2021 after a 50 year long drought.
Newsweek