Mike Budenholzer, the newly-minted coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, admitted that it was a nightmare to go up against Giannis Antetokounmpo.
As reported by Genaro C. Armas of the Associated Press, the 48-year-old recalled the days when he played against the Greek Freak, devising plays to keep him away from the basket. Budenholzer also expressed how happy he is that they're on both sides of the court now.
“It was miserable coaching against him and I’m so happy to be (saying), ’34’s on my team?’” Budenholzer said, referring to Antetokounmpo’s jersey number. “That’s like really cool.
“He’s a nightmare to coach against, to game-plan, to figure out how you can keep him away from the basket.”
Budenholzer has been in the NBA for quite some time, spending a chunk of his career under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. He came under the spotlight during his stint with the Atlanta Hawks — a team he led to playoff appearances. For his efforts, he won the Coach of the Year award in 2015.
Now, in the new chapter of his career, he's focused on leading the young and upcoming Bucks. He revealed that much emphasis will be given to developing Antetokounmpo's game:
“And those conversations, I look forward to having with Giannis and listening to Giannis too. He’s a smart player,” Budenholzer said. “I think together, he and I will probably push each other. But I look forward to pushing him. He believes it, I believe it. He’s going to get a lot better.”
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