"I want to play 20 years" - Giannis Antetokounmpo talks about wanting to play for 20 years, hopes he can play all of them with the Milwaukee Bucks
After a slow start to the 2021-22 NBA season, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have quietly started to make their march up the Eastern Conference standings. The Bucks currently find themselves in fifth place in the East with an overall record of 27-19 for the year.
One of the major reasons for the Bucks' recent impressive surge has been the play of superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. After signing a long-term extension with Milwaukee last year, it was clear that Antetokounmpo had a goal to remain with the Bucks organization for the foreseeable future.
In a recent interview with Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Antetokounmpo went on to reiterate his desire to stay with the Bucks moving forward.
"I want to play 20 years. Hopefully, I can play all 20 of those years with the Bucks."
How did a skinny, unknown 18-year-old from Greece turn into one of the NBA's all-time great players in just eight-plus seasons?
Giannis Antetokounmpo took time to reflect on his journey.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo shining with the Bucks
After Giannis Antetokounmpo announced he would sign a long-term extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, the superstar forward went out and immediately rewarded the organization that invested in his future.
Antetokounmpo and the Bucks went on to win last year's NBA championship and the 27-year-old superstar has cemented himself as one of the elites of the NBA. After winning back-to-back MVP awards, it's clear that Antetokounmpo has become one of the faces of the league.
Although the Bucks have had to deal with some adversity this year due to a number of injuries, Antetokounmpo has continued to be a force with his play on both ends of the floor.
The superstar forward is currently averaging 28.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.5 blocks per game for Milwaukee this year while shooting 53.5% from the field.After a pair of tough losses to the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee will be looking to get back on track with a challenging upcoming homestand.
Giannis grinding through the game.
27 PTS l 6 REB l 6 AST l 1 BLK https://t.co/pnc82VajjS
The Bucks will face the red-hot Memphis Grizzlies tomorrow night, followed by a matchup against the Chicago Bulls on Friday in a showdown between two heavyweight contenders in the Eastern Conference. Antetokounmpo has continued to shine for the Bucks as of late, as he's gone on to average 31.2 points per game during the team's last six encounters.
With the Eastern Conference shaping up to feature a number of challenging opponents with playoff aspirations, it seems as if the Bucks will need to get on a hot streak if they are to secure favorable seeding. However, with last year's NBA Finals MVP leading the charge, the 28-19 Bucks will be a challenge for any opponent on a nightly basis as they look to move up from fourth in the East.