"F*ck the media sh*t": Giannis Antetokounmpo sends emotional farewell to 'brother' Jrue Holiday after unexpected trade
NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday went through a lot in the three years they were teammates with the Milwaukee Bucks. Which was why when the partnership came to an end this week, the "Greek Freak’"could not help but be emotional.
Holiday was recently dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers, part of the three-team deal that sent seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard to the Bucks.
In an interview with senior NBA Insider for TNT Chris Haynes, Giannis Antetokounmpo shared that while he welcomes the arrival of "Dame" in Milwaukee, it was nonetheless bittersweet because it involved Holiday, whom he considers as his brother and someone he has high regard for after helping him win his first NBA title in 2021.
The two-time NBA MVP gave an emotional farewell to his former point guard teammate.
He said:
"I wish him nothing but the best. He blessed me with a f*cking championship... F*ck basketball. F*ck the media sh*t. This guy is my brother for life and it's always going to be like that."
Holiday was one of the key pieces in Milwaukee landing future Hall-of-Famer Lillard, done with the help of a third team in the Phoenix Suns.
He was sent to the Trail Blazers along with an unprotected 2029 first-round pick from the Bucks as well as the right to swap first-round picks with Milwaukee in 2028 and 2030. Portland also got Deandre Ayton and rookie forward Toumani Camara from Phoenix.
The Suns, meanwhile, received Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson from Portland and Grayson Allen from the Bucks.
Holiday, however, is expected to be traded by Portland with the Blazers now in rebuild mode, anchored on their young players.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, has a new running partner in Damian Lillard as the Bucks try to redeem themselves after being unceremoniously booted out in the opening round of the playoffs last season despite being the top seeds in the Eastern Conference.
Fans react to Antetokounmpo and Lillard joining forces in Milwaukee
With Damian Lillard joining forces with fellow All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, NBA fans are expecting a formidable Milwaukee Bucks team for the upcoming season.
Here are some of the reactions of the fans on the All-Star core of the Bucks:
In his final season with the Portland Trail Blazers, Lillard averaged a career-high 32.2 points to go along with 7.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 58 games. The team, however, missed the playoff bus.
Antetokounmpo posted 31.1 points per game last season, also a career-high, with 9.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals. Unfortunately, he was nursing an injury in the playoffs, forcing the Bucks to bow out in the opening round against the eighth-seeded Miami Heat.