Shannon Sharpe didn't appreciate Giannis Antetokounmpo's recent comments about how he's a winner before he's a Milwaukee Buck. "You got a new coach, Adrian Griffin, give him a chance. You gave Mike Budenholzer a chance. And, you got your brother occupying two roster spots. Oh, we gonna talk about that? You know that your brothers probably ain't going to be playing for any team in the NBA other than Milwaukee, and that's only because of you. You can keep talking about surrounding you with talent but there are two spots that are occupied by your brothers," Sharpe said in a passionate rant on First Take.
However, Sharpe is a little off the mark with this take. Only one of Giannis' brothers is currently rostered with the Bucks. Alex Antetokounmpo was signed and waived by the Bucks earlier this month. As for Thanasis, he was a benchwarmer to be sure in 2022-23. Still, he managed 43% shooting in about 5 minutes per game and is clearly good enough to at least warrant a bench place on a deep Bucks team. Furthermore, Giannis has a valid point - the Bucks are a good team that doesn't spend money. Who was the last great free agent they signed? They rely heavily on depth rotation and for Giannis and Khris Middleton to be healthy.
Giannis' Recent History Of Hot Takes
However, it's not the only spicy thing Giannis has said in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the Greek star co-signed Noah Lyles comments about the US. "He received so much backlash for saying, like, the obvious, but some people don’t understand it. I don't know, maybe it's like an arrogance thing," Giannis told the 48 Minutes podcast. "I don't think in any other sport you are called the world champions. Like in soccer, which is way bigger than the NBA, more popular than the NBA, when the Champions League, the UEFA Champions League champions … they don't say [they're] world champion. When they win the World Cup, they play against the USA team, they play against the teams around the world, countries around the world. Then they say world champs," Giannis said.
Giannis did not play in the FIBA World Cup due to injury. Greece, ranked 9th in the world, finished 15th in a disappointing showing. However, they will have another chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics next June. Giannis has expressed his desire to represent his country at the Olympic Games.
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