Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo recently sat down with the folks over at GQ and he had some very interesting things to say during the interview. The one thing that stood out the most was Giannis' cryptic comments about his future. The former back-to-back MVP dropped a huge hint about his future possibly NOT being in Milwaukee.
In that same GQ interview, The Bucks star was asked to name past players that he can most compare himself to. After giving the question some thought, Giannis named four NBA legends: Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Kevin Garnett, and Kobe Bryant:
” I don't know,” Giannis started (h/t Lee Tran of Fadeaway World). “I'd say a little bit of Shaq. The dominance there, getting in the paint. A little bit of Magic. Being able to come down the court, go coast to coast and find teammates, put teammates in the right spot. A little bit of KG, having that edge, that toughness, that mental toughness that nothing can break you. You do whatever it takes. A little bit of Kobe, work ethic. I try to take a little bit of every player. To compare myself with one player, I don't really know. It's a great question.”
First of all, let me just say that the comparisons are absolutely spot on. Giannis is unlike any other player we've seen in the past and to limit him to just a single player comparison would be a travesty.
Now, aside from being Hall of Famers, there is one glaring similarity between the four icons Giannis named. Well, at least for three of them. Kobe, Shaq, and Magic all played for the Los Angeles Lakers.
We don't want to read too much into this, but it is definitely worth mentioning that Giannis made these comments in the same interview where he said that he loves challenges and that “the next challenge might not be here (in Milwaukee).”
It's no secret that the Lakers are already searching for their next cornerstone superstar post-LeBron James. The King has a few more years left in him, and once he hangs it up, the Purple and Gold will need to name his successor as the face of the franchise. Does Anthony Davis fit that bill? It's possible. Would Giannis Antetokounmpo be an excellent choice as the new king of Hollywood? There is no doubt about that.
For what it's worth, Giannis is still tied up with the Bucks right now. His current deal will last until at least 2025. Apart from his cryptic comments in the GQ interview, Antetokounmpo has exhibited unwavering loyalty to Milwaukee. He even has the makings of a lifer that will spend his entire career with a single franchise.
Be that as it may, it's hard not to imagine Antetokounmpo taking his talents elsewhere some time in the future. You have to note that he's also already won a chip in Milwaukee so it's mission accomplished for him with the Bucks. As he said himself, he's always intrigued by the next challenge ahead.
If Giannis ends up deciding that he actually wants to leave Milwaukee then there is no doubt that the Lakers will be one of the teams that will be submitting their entry for that massive sweepstakes.
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