Giannis Antetokounmpo boldly claims higher status than Michael Jordan and LeBron James in Greece: "Maybe larger"
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has become one of the most famous athletes in the United States and across the world in recent years. However, according to the Bucks star, his fame among U.S. basketball fans doesn’t even compare to his fame in his home country of Greece.
During a recent interview with The New York Times’ Tania Ganguli, Antetokounmpo spoke about what it’s like for him whenever he returns to Greece. He likened his reception in his home country to how American fans react to seeing NBA superstars like LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
Antetokounmpo added that he may even be a bigger celebrity in Greece than James and Jordan are in the U.S.
“The way LeBron James is or Michael Jordan is for the States, the same way I am for Greece,” he said.
“Maybe larger.”
This is certainly a bold claim from Antetokounmpo. However, given the immense popularity of basketball in Europe, it may very well be true.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo unsure about his future in Milwaukee
Giannis Antetokounmpo is still under contract with the Milwaukee Bucks for three more years. However, he has a $51.9 million player option for the 2025-26 season that he could opt out of to become a free agent in 2025.
This has led to speculation about whether Antetokounmpo will sign another contract extension with Milwaukee. He will soon be eligible for an extension worth around three years, $173 million.
However, according to the Bucks star, he has no plans to sign an extension anytime soon.
During his interview with The New York Times, Antetokounmpo spoke about his contract situation. The "Greek Freak" first said that it doesn’t make financial sense for him to sign an extension yet. However, he added that he is also still unsure about whether he will sign an extension with Milwaukee in the future.
“The real question’s not going to be this year — numbers-wise it doesn’t make sense,” Antetokounmpo said.
“But next year, next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don’t know.”
Antetokounmpo said that he will make sure that the Bucks are locked in and once again contending for NBA titles before he considers signing an extension. This comes after Milwaukee was upset by the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs.
The Bucks subsequently fired coach Mike Budenholzer and hired a rookie coach in Adrian Griffin, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the franchise.
“I would not be the best version of myself if I don’t know that everybody’s on the same page, everybody’s going for a championship, everybody’s going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do,” Antetokounmpo said.
“And if I don’t feel that, I’m not signing.
“You’ve got to see the dynamics. How the coach is going to be, how we’re going to be together. At the end of the day, I feel like all my teammates know and the organization knows that I want to win a championship. As long as we’re on the same page with that and you show me and we go together to win a championship, I’m all for it.”
Antetokounmpo’s long-term future in Milwaukee may be uncertain. However, luckily for the Bucks and their fans, they still have plenty of time to get back on track before Antetokounmpo potentially hits free agency.
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