“Bro Can Really Play though!”: Thanasis Antetokounmpo Has Bobby Portis Sticking Up For Him Amidst All The Memes

Thanasis Antetokounmpo is one of the most trolled players in the league. Naysayers on social media disregard everything that Antetokounmpo has achieved by claiming that he’s only part of the Milwaukee Bucks because of the virtue of being Giannis Antetokounmpo’s elder brother. However, Bobby Portis decided to clap back at all the detractors, busting certain myths about Thanasis.

Bobby Portis made an appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back and was asked an interesting question by Chandler Parsons. Parsons wanted to know whether the jokes surrounding Thanasis’s ability to play were true or not. Responding to the panel member, Portis first shed light on the type of character that the 31-year-old was.

“That’s my brother. We talk each and every day… He’s a great, great human being,” Portis said.

Apart from admitting that Thanasis “got game for real”, the forward also revealed the former was unable to display his abilities because he only got to play in “garbage time”.

“Once you actually get on the team with him, you actually see how he is on a daily basis. He’s a great player. People don’t understand bro really got game for real, for real. Bro can really hoop.

He might get in and something might go wrong, he might go viral for doing anything… He gets all the hatred from being his (Giannis’) big brother… The world would actually see if he got a real shot but they only get the last few minutes of the game,” Portis stated.

Finally, Portis concluded by mentioning the Greek’s role on the team. Lauding the 6ft 7” player for leadership, his teammate claimed that all members of the Bucks recognized the hard work that he put in and respected him for the same.

“Everybody on the team has a certain role, right? If you’re the best guy on the team, obviously, your role on the team is different from the 15^th down the team… He brings a level of leadership as well… Everybody respects what he does cause of how hard he works on a daily basis,” Portis concluded.

Since joining the Bucks, Thanasis has recorded merely 2.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. But what fans don’t seem to notice is that he is only been given 7.7 minutes per game to play. His per 36 minutes stats–11.3 points and 7.3 rebounds (per Basketball Reference) – reveal that he could be a great role player if used correctly by the coach.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo gets trolled for being Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother

Thanasis Antetokounmpo is a great athlete. Standing at 6ft 7”, he also is a physical specimen weighing 219 lbs. However, his addition as an “untouchable” in trade talks by the Milwaukee Bucks is a bit of a stretch. But, in this case, it isn’t Thanasis’ fault. Giannis claiming that he would only play with his brother on the team has resulted in the trolls ripping apart the eldest Antetokounmpo brother.

Bobby Portis isn’t the only player to defend Thanasis Antetokounmpo. During the 2024 All-Star Weekend, Damian Lillard also stood up for him, clapping back at the naysayers. In an interview with Complex, Dame lauded TA for being a great athlete, defender, and competitor.

“People try to be funny but I would put good money that a lot of those people talking on Twitter wouldn’t be able to beat him in the game of one-on-one. Like his defensively, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s athletic, he’s competitive. It’s disrespectful. I see a lot of stuff on social media about TA, there’s people who think they are more talented or have more ability, but they could never take his spot. You’re not going to find a guy that’s more about the team and shows up and works hard,” Dame said.

While Thanasis doesn’t directly make an impact by contributing with his performance on the floor, he is one of the vocal leaders of the franchise. Often seen animated on the sidelines, Thanasis is always seen cheering or criticizing his teammates whenever he sees fit.

The detractors might not agree with Bobby Portis or Damian Lillard. But the fact of the matter is that Thanasis Antetokounmpo had a large contribution to play in the Milwaukee Bucks winning the 2021 championship.