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Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo isn't just competitive when he laces up his shoes and puts on his basketball jersey to head to the hardwood. Off the court, The Greek Freak constantly displays his competitiveness even in simple daily activities, per ESPN‘s Malika Andrews.
Back in April 2019, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer turned the practice facility into a small makeshift Wiffle ball diamond and introduced the game to Antetokounmpo. During the first few times, Giannis wasn't able to get his rhythm hitting the ball, but he took matters into his own hands to improve in the game.
After getting bounced by the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals, Antetokounmpo drove back to the team's practice facility to practice his swings with a desire to improve in a game that had no connection to basketball.
“I learned the technique and kept doing it,” Antetokounmpo said. “And then I wasn't missing. I was really good.”
During their childhood days back in Greece, Giannis and his brothers often competed against each other in relay races and even a trip to the bus stop. They also played Uno and wagered candy and bragging rights against each other. After Giannis was drafted back in 2013, he took his game to another level by wearing sunglasses whenever he plays Uno to restrict his opponents from seeing the movement of his pupils, and he played plenty of Uno in the NBA bubble earlier this year.
The subtle competition between the Antetokounmpo brothers eventually translated to the league when Giannis and Thanasis both played for the Bucks last season. After a home game back in December, Giannis stayed in the locker room for an odd reason: to watch his older brother groom his beard.
Article Continues Below“Give me two years,” Antetokounmpo said, eyeing his own face and then his brother's full beard again. “Give me two years and I'll have it. I'll connect.”
Earlier in the fall, midway through a two-hour workout in the Nikos Galis Olympic Indoor Hall in Athens, Giannis was always sent to the free-throw line during the most rigorous parts of the session.
In the event of a miss, he would have to watch Bucks assistant coaches run the court, instilling in him a sense of accountability for his teammates on his missed shots. He eventually modified it and asked his girlfriend, Mariah Riddlesprigger, and their 10-month-old son, Liam, to run the court if he missed his free throws.
The two-time NBA MVP will continue to work hard so he can finally call himself a champion and leave a lasting legacy in the league.
“You wake up and you do whatever it takes to be better,” Antetokounmpo said. “It is the whole day, the whole year, the whole life.”
Hopefully, his intense competitive spirit will eventually lead him to a championship. And, of course, the Bucks are hoping it will keep him in Milwaukee for the long haul.
