For years now, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the face and the leader of the Milwaukee Bucks. A lot has factored into this organization's success and the individual success of Giannis, though, as Thanasis Antetokounmpo has been a source of leadership and inspiration behind the scenes.
Deciding to join the Bucks and play alongside his brother in 2019, Thanasis has spent the last four seasons in Milwaukee and he was a member of the 2020-21 team that went on to win the NBA Finals. Although he has not played much through the years, Antetokounmpo has been a great locker room presence for his team. Being an unrestricted free agent this offseason, the 31-year-old forward had a big decision to make about his future in this league, as a path to leaving his brother and Milwaukee presented itself as an option.
Ultimately, Thanasis decided to sign a veteran's minimum contract to stay with the Bucks for one more season, but the New York Knicks were reportedly interested in signing Antetokounmpo. Recently talking with Donatas Urbonas from Basketnews.com, Antetokounmpo opened up about his time with the Bucks and explained why he ultimately chose to remain in Milwaukee with his brother instead of pursuing a new opportunity in New York.
“Obviously, Giannis is my brother, and obviously, I love Milwaukee. I love Milwaukee. But at the same time… I want to play,” Thanasis stated. “I want to play. You always want to play and feel important.”
Over the last four seasons, Antetokounmpo has averaged just 8.4 minutes per game and he has played 20 or more minutes in only 15 of the 162 total regular season games he's participate in with Milwaukee. Earning a larger role and being able to prove he is more than Giannis' brother is something he valued entering free agency this offseason.
“Ultimately, I sat down with the new coach [Adrian Griffin],” Thanasis continued. “During the free agency, I was off in Greece. But I sat down with the new coach and talked with him. He said he appreciates the way I play, he values my game. You know, every coach has a different opinion of everybody. But when I picked the teams, hearing the coach and everything… I thought this was the place for me.”
Both Antetokounmpo brothers will be on the Bucks roster entering the 2023-24 season, marking their fifth consecutive year playing alongside one another. However, their future in Milwaukee remains up in the air, as neither player is under contract long-term.
Thanasis is only under contract for one year and Giannis is only under contract with the team through the 2024-25 season right now, as he owns a player option for the 2025-26 season. The two-time league MVP and 2021 Finals MVP also raised some eyebrows recently with his comments about not signing an extension with the Bucks this summer.
There is a level of uncertainty surrounding the Bucks right now, which is why it is critical that they find success during the 2023-24 season.
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