Giannis Antetokounmpo has embraced Milwaukee, to a degree, because he can work and develop in comparative obscurity to your typical NBA superstar.
“I’m a low-profile guy,” says The Greek Freak.
The Bucks’ leading MVP candidate is all too happy to let other young NBA stars hog the spotlight, often for the wrong reasons.
Per The Athletic:
“I love it,” Giannis says with a smile. “It’s amazing that I can just work in silence. I’m a low-profile guy. I know that being good, having a great team, and winning in this league (means) that attention comes with it, but I’d rather quiet days like this.”
That’s all well and good for now, of course. But the playoffs are coming, meaning the decibel level is about to ramp up. The key question, it seems, is whether these Bucks will be the ones making the noise or succumbing to it.
“I’ll say the same thing I always say – and people look at me crazy – is that we’re having fun,” Antetokounmpo said. “Like, we’re working, but we’re not coming in here like, ‘Ah, another day that we’ve got to practice.’ It’s almost like we’re happy that we’re here.”
Imagine that.
“I’m not trying to criticize nobody; everybody can do whatever they want to do. But I see a lot of young players coming out who think that by putting your name in the media you’re going to get the exposure. But at the end of the day, it’s not about the media. If you don’t get it done on the court, it’s not going to get done with media. Like, if I don’t come out tomorrow and try to kick some ass and try to get a win and help my team, media is not going to do that for me. I try to focus on my job, and to finish the season strong, and not try to do (other stuff). I don’t get young players, like why they try to allow so many distractions to get in their heads. They’re all over the place. SLAM magazine. GQ, whatever. Just stay in your lanes, get your job done, and everything else is going to come.”
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