Owing to the Game 5 126-128 loss, the Milwaukee Bucks have now been eliminated from the 2023 postseason. Becoming the 5th #1 seed in NBA Playoffs history to suffer a first-round exit against a #8 seed team since the best of 7 games series, Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked if he considered the 2022-2023 season as a “failure”?
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The mature response from the Greek Freak detailed that such moments weren’t and shouldn’t be deemed as “failures”, but should be considered as “steps to success”. In what was described as a heartfelt reply by the 2-time Most Valuable Player, he made it pretty clear that not winning a championship wasn’t the end of the world.
“It’s not a failure; it’s steps to success,” Antetokounmpo said. “There’s always steps to it. Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships. The other nine years was a failure? That’s what you’re telling me?”
“It’s a wrong question; there’s no failure in sports. There’s good days, bad days. Some days you’re able to be successful, some days you’re not. Some days it’s your turn, some days it’s not your turn. And that’s what sports is about. You don’t always win. Sometimes other people win. And this year somebody else is going to win, simple as that.”
As soon as the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year replied to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, analysts and enthusiasts from around the world gave their two cents on whether Mike Budenholzer’s boys’ season was a failure or not.
Even on the sets of Inside the NBA, the hosts discussed the same. With some interesting takes by both, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley had some great but varying opinions.
“You don’t win every year”: Charles Barkley
While both Shaq and Chuck lauded Antetokounmpo for handling the question appropriately, they did not agree with each other.
O’Neal was the first one to begin the segment after the clip of the Giannis interview concluded. The former Los Angeles Lakers legend initially spoke about his career, and how he considered the season to be a failure when his team didn’t win the title.
“When I didn’t win, I was very hard on myself. Like he missed a lot of free throws. When you’re the great player and they expect you to win and you don’t win, in my mind, it is a failure. I played 19 seasons and I failed 15 seasons. When I didn’t win, it was a failure. When I watched guys before me the Birds, the Kareems, that’s how they thought. So, that’s how I was raised.”
Further, the 4-time NBA champion cleared that the 7-time All-Star wasn’t a failure, but it was the entire franchise that failed this season.
“He is not a failure as a player, but is it a failure as a season? I would yes. But also like his explanation, I can understand and respect his explanation.”
As soon as the Diesel stated his point of view, the Round Mound of Rebound respectfully “disagreed” with him. The former Rockets legend’s logic was simple – you cannot win every year.
“I 100% disagree with that (Shaq’s points). They got beat. You don’t win every year. I agree with Giannis.”
Barkley instead went on to speak about the injury that the 2021 champ sustained that was the probable reason behind the Wisconsin-based franchise’s elimination.
“He missed two games. I mean, we don’t know what could’ve happened. I understand why he was mad about the question cause if he plays every game, it might’ve been a different series. It’s disappointing that he got hurt early in the series. But hey, having that kid as the face of our league is one of the great things.”
How did Giannis Antetokounmpo perform in the 2023 Playoffs?
Averaging 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game in the regular season, the 10-year veteran led his team to clinch the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
In the very first game of the postseason, after playing merely 11 minutes, the forward sustained a back injury. Due to the same, the 28-year-old ended up sitting out for Games 2 & 3.
In the next two games, the 7-footer had a 26-point triple-double and a 38-point double-double, respectively. While the former MIP did stuff the stat sheet in Game 5, missing 13 free throws definitely hurt the Bucks.
