Giannis Antetokounmpo as soon as once more reiterated his commitment to 1 franchise — the Milwaukee Greenbacks — announcing he needs to be like Kobe Bryant or Tim Duncan, however added that profitable comes over the whole lot and he doesn’t wish to stay in a single town if it approach simplest profitable one championship.

In a pristine interview with the Untouched York Instances, Antetokounmpo stated, “I don’t want to be 20 years on the same team and don’t win another championship.”

Previous to signing a then-NBA document $228 million extension in 2020, it was once reported by means of ESPN and The Athletic that Antetokounmpo mentioned his need for the group to proceed pushing for a championship to re-sign. In a 2018 interview with Eurohoop TV he stated, “Everyone has to work on his part in order to win a championship. If I do my part and some others don’t, then a change would have to happen. If this change does not happen, then, the Bucks can move forward without me, or I can move on without the Bucks. However, my goal is to stay here and win a championship with my team.”

Also in 2018, Antetokounmpo said, “So long as Milwaukee does the proper strikes and we’re a championship (contending) workforce, I’m now not going nowhere.”

In the 2020 offseason, the Bucks signed a handful of players, like Bobby Portis, traded for point guard Jrue Holiday and forward P.J. Tucker and then won the 2020-21 title.

Over the last two years, in which the Bucks compiled a 109-55 regular season record and were the NBA’s top seed last season, the Bucks have been a luxury-tax paying team. Unfortunately, playoff injuries to Khris Middleton two years ago, and Antetokounmpo last season, contributed to early exits, which ultimately led to the dismissal of head coach Mike Budenholzer on May 4.

The Times asked Antetokounmpo if he thought the organization is still committed to championship-level basketball following the recent coaching change. Antetokounmpo, who was part of the interview process in the search for the new coach, said he didn’t want to sign an extension because he wants to see what happens with the culture under new head coach Adrian Griffin.

More: Adrian Griffin connecting with Giannis Antetokounmpo first step in reaching high standard

Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a maximum extension beginning on Sept. 22, with the window to do so remaining open until Oct. 23. It was widely anticipated he would not sign the extension, though this is the first time he has addressed it publicly.

Since the creation of “supermax” contracts in 2017, no player of Antetokounmpo’s age (28) or with multiple years left on his deal has ever signed an early extension. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, the salary cap can rise a maximum of 10% every year. Antetokounmpo will be eligible for more money and more years in future extension windows.

“Upcoming summer time it will construct extra sense for each events. Even later, I don’t know,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’d now not be the most productive model of myself if I don’t know that everyone’s at the identical web page, everyone’s going for a championship, everyone’s moving to sacrifice year clear of their nation like I do. And if I don’t really feel that, I’m now not signing.”

“You’ve got to see the dynamics,” he added. “How the coach is going to be, how we’re going to be together. At the end of the day, I feel like all my teammates know and the organization knows that I want to win a championship. As long as we’re on the same page with that and you show me and we go together to win a championship, I’m all for it. The moment I feel like, oh, yeah, we’re trying to rebuild —”

He paused in short ahead of reminiscing about the entire achievements he’s made in Milwaukee, together with a NBA championship in 2021.

“There will never be hard feelings with the Milwaukee Bucks,” he stated. “I believe that we’ve had 10 unbelievable years, and there’s no doubt I gave everything for the city of Milwaukee. Everything. Every single night, even when I’m hurt. I am a Milwaukee Buck. I bleed green. I know this.

“This is my team, and it’s going to forever be my team. I don’t forget people that were there for me and allowed me to be great and to showcase who I am to the world and gave me the platform. But we have to win another one.”

He later informed the Instances how he admired NBA legends who performed with one workforce their whole careers, together with Bryant, Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki.

Antetokounmpo is getting into his 3rd season of a five-year, $228 million supermax extension. He’s underneath word of honour for a bottom wage of $45.6 million and owed $48.7 million in 2024-25 ahead of having to come to a decision on a $51.9 million participant possibility in 2025-26.

This text at the start seemed on Milwaukee Magazine Sentinel: Giannis Antetokounmpo needs NBA championship constancy from Greenbacks