"That’s a cheat code" - Damian Lillard highlights Giannis Antetokounmpo's freakish athleticism as star duo gears up for 2023-24 NBA season
The Damian Lillard trade to the Milwaukee Bucks has continued to dominate headlines heading into the upcoming NBA season. Although there have been questions about Lillard's defensive ability, given that Milwaukee gave up Jrue Holiday as part of the trade. However, the latest reports out of the Bucks camp are positive. As Damian Lillard tells it, the combination of him and Giannis Antetokounmpo is a "cheat code."
Ahead of the start of the Bucks' season on October 26th, practice reps have given Damian Lillard plenty of confidence regarding his duo with Giannis Antetokounmpo. While speaking with The Athletic recently, Lillard compared himself and The Greek Freak to a cheat code when recalling a scenario in practice.
As Lillard detailed, he came off a screen and saw Giannis on the block. Although he wanted to get the ball to the former MVP, he noticed defenders there. When Antetokounmpo noticed his hesitation, he pointed Lillard to throw him an alley-oop.
“And he’s just standing there ..., so I just throw it up. And in his head, he’s thinking like, ‘Nobody’s going to get the ball if you throw it up there. I’m going to get it before anybody else gets it.’ So that was different for me. And I threw it up. He jumped up, caught it, turned and he just two-hand dunked it real quick. And it was like, ‘I’ve never played with nobody that’s capable of that,’" Lillard said of the rep. “So, it’s just different because it was like, that’s a cheat code."
Giannis Antetokounmo talks about Damian Lillard
With the upcoming NBA season right around the corner, anticipation has been at an all-time high in regard to the Bucks season. After the team was shockingly eliminated from the first round of the playoffs last season, it's clear that the team is out for revenge this year.
As Lillard made it clear, he has never played with someone capable of the things Antetokounmpo does on the court. On the flip side, however, Giannis Antetokounmpo likely hasn't teamed up with a player of Lillard's caliber.
While speaking to Andscape recently, Antetokounmpo gave his thoughts on the situation. As he explained, it isn't just Damian Lillard's skills he's impressed by, it's his mentality.
“It’s a blessing to have opportunity to play with a guy like that," Giannis said. "A guy that is built from the same cloth as you. A guy that is a killer. He plays with a chip on his shoulder. He’s been good for so many years in the league, dominating the league and having a guy that you can go to war every single day that wants it as bad as you want."
Leading up to the 2023-24 NBA season it's safe to say that the Bucks' organization is eager to see the duo of Lillard and Antetokounmpo compete together. Whether they can bring another championship to Milwaukee, only time will tell.