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Giannis Antetokounmpo has had a few memorable post-game press conference moments, including his viral speech on “failure” in 2023. But another, one that involved the Milwaukee Bucks superstar and ESPN's Malika Andrews, caught fans' attention years before any discussion on failure arose.
In 2019, following the Bucks' Eastern Conference Finals Game 6 loss to the Toronto Raptors, Andrews attempted to ask Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton a question. As she was doing so, though, Antetokounmpo stood up and walked out of the room.
Reports quickly surfaced that Antetokounmpo had walked out because he was frustrated with Andrews writing an article that currently has the headline ‘Bucks' elimination puts focus on Giannis' future in Milwaukee'
and in which she mentioned how the Bucks' playoff shortcomings could lead to Antetokounmpo leaving Milwaukee for a more suitable contender.
“In more concrete terms, a source close to Antetokounmpo said that getting to the NBA Finals is not just an ambition, it could tip the scales as he weighs his contractual future,” Andrews wrote in 2019.
Giannis Antetokounmpo explains walking out on Malika Andrews question in 2019
Apparently, the reports of Antetokounmpo's frustration with Andrews' story were correct.
“We were up 2-0, and they came back and beat us four straight,” Antetokounmpo said of the moment on the ‘Thanalysis Show'. “After the game, someone approached me in the locker room with an article saying, ‘Giannis is leaving Milwaukee.’ And I was like, ‘Bro, I haven’t even taken a shower yet! I haven’t even washed my butt yet! What’s going on?'.
“Then I walked in [to the press conference], and I don't even remember the question. They asked me some question, and then Malika asked me a question. I honestly don’t even remember [what it was] because I was zoned out. It was my first time being in that stage — I was 24 years old. I was 24. I was young. Maybe I didn’t know how to handle it back then … But man, I felt bad. You can ask Malika. The same night, I didn’t have her number — I try not to exchange numbers and stuff — so I found her, I think, on Twitter and I'm like, ‘I’m so sorry for the way I reacted. You did not deserve this. I'm sorry.' Immediately!”
Ultimately, things worked out for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Although Milwaukee lost in the second round of the playoffs the following season, Antetokounmpo re-signed with the Bucks in December 2020 and promptly led the team to an NBA Championship in 2021. Antetokounmpo signed another extension with Milwaukee last October — the three-year deal is estimated to be worth $175 million and will kick in next season, keeping him under contract until at least 2027.
While Antetokounmpo's name has been mentioned in trade rumors this season as well, talks about trading the superstar have quieted during the Bucks' recent run in which they have won 11 of their last 14 games. Once 2-8 with one of the worst records in the NBA, the Bucks are now in sixth in the Eastern Conference just 2.5 games behind the third seed.
