Yahoo Sports’ Krysten Peek is joined by the Milwaukee Bucks superstar to discuss what the team is focusing on for the second half of the season and how he is adjusting to playing for Doc Rivers. Giannis joined Yahoo Sports on behalf of Chase Freedom.
Video Transcript
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KRYSTEN PEEK: I’m Krysten Peek here with Giannis Antetokounmpo. We’re at the NBPA Brotherhood Deli presented by Chase Freedom, looking ahead to the next 26 games of the regular season. What’s going to be the main focus for the Bucks?
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: Just to keep on getting better and keep on building good habits. Obviously, it’s been a very hard season with all the changes, roster changes, coaching staff changes. But you cannot use us as an excuse. We still– basketball players, we still really good in what we do. We still have a great team. Building as I say good habits throughout the year. We have 26 games to get ready to go and compete for a championship.
KRYSTEN PEEK: I mean, you mentioned the coaching changes, four head coaches in the last six or seven months. No other team has had to put up with that or deal with that. Do you feel like you’re on this fast track, and how hard has it been to get on the same page right away with Doc Rivers and his direction for the team?
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: Not hard at all. Coach Dawkins, coaching staff, it wasn’t hard at all. They came here to win. I’m here to win. My teammates are here to win. And it wasn’t hard. We just had to clean some stuff up. Obviously, the transition is going to be hard because you have different philosophies, different game plan.
The whole thing is just– the whole structure changes. But at the end of the day, like, he’s here to win. He won so many games in his career. We are here to win. And as long as that is the first thing in our minds, we are going to be good. It’s it easy to partner with people that they want to win.
KRYSTEN PEEK: You’re having an OK season yourself, averaging 30, 11, and 6. Some might think it’s an MVP caliber season. There’s a couple other names being thrown out there with Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. What separates you from them as a player?
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: Nothing.
KRYSTEN PEEK: Nothing.
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: Nothing. I was doing nothing. I try not to fall into that bubble. And you know, I refuse to live my life that way, to compare myself with others. There’s 7.5 billion people in this world, but I didn’t even– I don’t have a twin brother. Even if I had a twin brother, I would never compare myself with him.
I try not to fall into the bubble that oh, I’m the MVP because of that, or I am better because of that, or I got more votes because I’m more handsome. And that’s not the real life stuff. I’m trying to be the best father I can be, the best partner that I can be. That’s– that’s real. That’s real life.
KRYSTEN PEEK: The Chase Freedom fuels fandom. You’re going to be meeting some of your fans. How special is it for you to meet fans in person here at All-Star?
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: It’s special, you know. You meet fans during the year, but like, I’m so, as a person, I’m so locked in to my craft and to the game that it’s very hard for me to interact with fans. Like, we are in and out from the arena, from the cities.
So just being able to have some downtime, that I can come in here and sit down and talk with the kids, touch them, fist bump them, sign rips– t-shirts or sign the hat is always fun. This is what the all-Star weekend is about. I’m happy that we’re able to have some time, some downtime to interact with fans I think is really important. That’s how they stay connected to the game.
KRYSTEN PEEK: Thank you so much for the time, and good luck the rest of the season.
GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: Thank you so much.
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