Subscribe
Follow Us
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most unstoppable forces in today's NBA, and he was back at it again for the Milwaukee Bucks in their 133-129 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night. Antetokounmpo dropped 32 points and 12 rebounds, and in the process of doing so, he was able to ferociously knife into the heart of the Bulls' defense over and over again, dropping a few dunks with celebrations befitting of a dominant paint presence.
One of Antetokounmpo's signature celebrations is his famous mean mug; Dictionary.com defines “mean-mugging” as “the act of glowering at someone with an intimidating, irritated, or judgmental facial expression”, and referees oftentimes perceive this as a taunt towards the opposition, penalizing those who drop mean mugs with technical fouls.
But as one of the most famous enjoyers of the mean-mug celebration, Giannis Antetokounmpo knows how to avoid scrutiny from the officials, giving him free rein to bust out his signature celebration whenever it fits the occasion.
“Mean mug, but look at the camera #NoTechs 😂😂,” Antetokounmpo wrote on his official Twitter (X) account.
Article Continues Below
Mean mug, but look at the camera #NoTechs 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/wpcFE2jpfZ
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) December 12, 2023
The referees have been fickle this season when it comes to dishing out technicals for plays that they believe fall under the umbrella of taunting. This has taken some of the joy away from the game, as players feel like they're more restricted when it comes to expressing themselves on the hardwood in the aftermath of some enthralling plays.
But for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has already been on the receiving end of some questionable decision-making from officials this season, is finding some tricks to dupe the officials into thinking that he's not taunting, so this is very smart work for the Bucks star. Looking at the cameras is a neat trick, as not only does it allow him to dodge an infraction, but it also gives us some of the coldest pictures in NBA history.
Moving forward, however, now that Antetokounmpo has revealed his secret to dodging technical fouls, the referees may now be more vigilant in calling him out. Nonetheless, don't expect the Bucks star to stop being his most expressive self anytime soon.
