It’s been a season of transition for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Between going through multiple coaches and trading away treasured teammates, it’s been hard.
Antetokounmpo told EuroHoops how difficult things have been this season. That includes how hard it was to see the Bucks trade away Jrue Holiday.
“It’s a tough season, we changed four coaches in six months, it’s tough,” Antetokounmpo told EuroHoops in a February 21 story. “We traded Jrue Holiday. I won’t say I didn’t like it because Damian Lillard is now my teammate, and with him, we’re going to win the championship, but my best friend, who was living two minutes away from me, is tough. We won the championship, and we cried together. That part is hard, but the NBA is a business. We all understand that there are trades.”
Holiday and Antetokounmpo played together on the Bucks from 2020 to 2023, where they helped the Bucks win their first title since 1971.
To make things harder, Holiday now plays for perhaps the Bucks’ toughest competition in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics. The Bucks are eight-and-a-half games behind the Celtics for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Has Confidence in Doc Rivers
The Bucks have struggled since hiring Doc Rivers as their coach, having won three of their last 10 games. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo voiced his confidence in Rivers, explaining how Doc has helped him.
“Coach Doc, he’s a great guy, been in the league for a lot of years, won a lot of games. Like you go to bed, you sleep well at night. Win or lose, you know that the coaching staff is going to be prepared. And not just him, from Rex (Kalamian), from Dave Joerger, like come on, man, Joe Prunty, we have guys that are extremely smart and know the game of basketball. So, from that aspect, you don’t have to worry anymore.” Antetokounmpo said in a February 21 story.
Antetokounmpo then compared his former coach, Adrian Griffin, to Rivers.
“He was figuring things out, how to lead a group of guys, how to operate with star players, and sometimes, that might be hard. I think everybody did a good job. His coaching staff did a good job, too, helping him and making him adjust, and I think he did a tremendous job leading us to a 30-13 record, but Coach Doc has won 1,100 games. So it’s totally different.”
Rivers has a title to his name, but hasn’t won one since 2008. He also hasn’t advanced past the second round since 2012.
Giannis Antetokounmpo ‘Rides With’ Damian Lillard
While talking with Nehm, Giannis Antetokounmpo voiced his excitement to play with Damian Lillard.
“I am his biggest fan,” Antetokounmpo said. “Good or bad, I ride with Dame until the f—ing end. I ride with Dame. Like I’ve been saying this over and over again. This. Is. His. Team. Down the stretch, he’s going to get the ball. There’s nothing else that we will do. I don’t know how else to put it. I don’t know what else to say.”
Despite how upset he is for losing Holiday, Antetokounmpo supports the moves the Buck make and then some.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Reveals Reaction to Bucks Trade: ‘We Cried Together’