The career of Giannis Antetokounmpo could take a disappointing turn if something doesn’t change. He went from the underdog to the top of the world. Now, his career is stuck in neutral with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The young man from Athens, Greece, was drafted in 2013 by the Bucks. Antetokounmpo’s journey to the NBA, however, was far from easy. Growing up, he and his family lived in poverty in Sepolia, a working-class Athens neighborhood.
Despite the hardships, Antetokounmpo began playing basketball at age 13. For an average NBA player, that’s considered a late bloomer. The start was late, but the talent was evident.
The young man was eventually noticed for his talent and determination and joined the youth team at Filathlitikos. In 2013, Antetokounmpo acquired Greek citizenship, which enabled him to attend the 2013 NBA draft. The Bucks picked him with the 15th overall pick, and he was an NBA player at 18 years old.
Like Antetokounmpo’s journey to basketball, he was a late bloomer in the league. In his rookie year, he averaged just six points per game on 41% shooting. He, however, improved each year. The scoring average jumped to 12.7 in year two, to 16.9 in year three, to 22.9 in year four, and he was named an all-star for the first time.
The improvement can be credited to Antetokounmpo’s incredible work ethic. He gained roughly 50 pounds of muscle in that span, which allowed him to be a force of nature in the paint. His physique made him an unstoppable force at the rim and earned him the name Greek Freak. From that moment on, it was a steep rise to the mountain top.
The era of Antetokounmpo began in the 2018-2019 season. In that season, he averaged nearly 28 points per game and 12.5 rebounds on 58% shooting. He also led Milwaukee to the first seed.
The combination of individual play and team success led to the Greek Freak’s first MVP. The Bucks, unfortunately, lost in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals later in the year, but were overall viewed as a successful season.
The next year, Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee were even better. In the 2019-2020 season, he averaged nearly 30 points per game and 13 rebounds, and was the top seed again, leading to MVP #2 and Defensive Player of the Year. That year, however, ended in the second round after losing to the Miami Heat in five games.
The honeymoon period quickly ended, and the pressure on Antetokounmpo to win the big game was ratcheting up. Next came the 2020-2021 season. Milwaukee finished the condensed year 46-26 and third in the East.
Nobody cared about the regular season success anymore, though. Pundits and fans wanted to know if Antetokounmpo could win the big game, and boy, did he deliver in that year’s playoffs.
From beating Kevin Durant’s Brooklyn Nets in seven games in round two to winning the finals, Antetokounmpo silenced the doubters. In the finals, the Bucks faced off against a talented Phoenix Suns group that jumped out in front 2-0. From that moment on, he averaged 36 points and 13 rebounds on a bad knee.
Milwaukee ended up winning the series 4-2. Antetokounmpo’s legacy was fulfilled with a Finals win and Finals MVP. He had one of the most famous blocks in that series and became the first ever player to score 50 points in a close-out game.
At that point, the legacy felt untouchable. All of a sudden, however, it has been a sharp return to reality.
The Bucks squandered their best shot in 2022. The team was third in the East again and looked just as they did a year ago. They, however, lost to the eventual East champ Boston Celtics in seven games in round two and never came close again.
In the 2022-2023 season, the team was the top seed, and Antetokounmpo was putting up video game numbers again. They lost in five games in round one to the Heat once again. That result was a major surprise at the time.
In the 2023-2024 season, the Bucks lost to the sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers in round one. The following season ended the same way, with another first-round loss to the same opponent. Now, as of March 22nd, 2026, Milwaukee is 29-41 and sitting at 11th in the East.
The Bucks as a whole did not favor Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee traded away Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard, then fired Adrian Griffin when the team was 30-13 and first in the East. Each decision pushed the franchise further in the wrong direction.
It’s admirable that Antetokounmpo wants to stay with the Bucks and finish his career there. Each wasted year risks diminishing how his greatness is remembered.
If Antetokounmpo wants one more shot at glory, it cannot happen with Milwaukee. He needs to get out of there soon. The game of basketball misses seeing him in important NBA moments.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
