The 2017 All-Star Game featured some of the NBA’s best and brightest. From LeBron James to Kevin Durant, like most All-Star games, the stars were in attendance. However, the highlight of the night wasn’t the game itself. But rather, the egregious number of times Giannis Antetokounmpo dunked on Stephen Curry.
Advertisement
It got so bad, that at one point in the game, Steph just gave up and lay on the floor. So, when the 2018 All-Star Game rolled around and Curry was a designated captain, he made an easy choice for himself. He decided to pick the Greek Freak.
Now, there could be a variety of reasons for this. After all, Giannis is perhaps the most dominant NBA superstar since Shaquille O’Neal. But, the four-time NBA Champion’s reason was simple. He had no intention of being dunked on yet again.
Stephen Curry chose Giannis Antetokounmpo for the 2018 All-Star Game so that he could avoid being dunked on
In 2018, the NBA completely changed the rules for All-Star Weekend. Rather than go with the traditional West versus East match-up, the league created a draft format. The premise was simple, the two players with the most All-Star votes from the West and the East would pick teams.
Based on voting for the 2018 All-Star Game, Stephen Curry and LeBron James were the designated captains. And, with his first pick, the Golden State Warriors star chose Giannis Antetokounmpo. But, what was his reasoning? Well, in a backstage interview during All-Star Weekend, Chef Curry shared the truth.
While Giannis is an amazing player, the real reason he was chosen was because of the 2017 All-Star Game. The game where Curry was made the target for each and every one of the Greek Freak’s incredible poster dunks. So, Curry grabbed the chance to prevent Deja Vu and selected the Bucks star first.
Giannis: “Thanks for choosing me!”
Steph: “Ah Shut up! I told them the joke was I just didn’t want you to dunk on me anymore. You came in on the offensive rebound last year, and I was like ‘I got it! Oh no!'”
Since then, Giannis and Steph have been on the same All-Star team every year. Bar the 2020 and 2023 seasons, where Curry was injured. However, there were rumors that they could team up outside of the All-Star Games, rumors that gave the rest of the league nightmares.
Rumors surfaced about Steph and Giannis possibly teaming up on the Warriors
Ever since Kevin Durant left the Warriors in 2019, the Warriors have been looking to fill the hole he left in the forward position. And now, ever so often, rumors surface about the potential of seeing Giannis Antetokounmpo team up with Stephen Curry on the Dubs. Well, the Greek Freak addressed such rumors in a recent Instagram story, and while his response did seem a bit ambiguous at first, he quickly denied the possibility.
It looks like the Greek Freak is committed to the city of Milwaukee. But, one thing is for sure, if Giannis and Steph do ever team up, be it on the Bucks or the Warriors, the league will not be ready.
