Giannis Antetokounmpo kept it real while talking to longtime Bucks announcer Jim Paschke in an amazing interview recently.
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Paschke is one of the icons in Wisconsin sportscasting history. The 70-year-old has been working the microphones for nearly 44 years now, and his association with the Milwaukee Bucks dates way back to 1986.
Paschke often shares the booth with Marques Johnson – another Milwaukee Bucks legend. The duo are revered as two of the most respected and beloved announcers across sports. But it’s now time for Bucks fans to say goodbye to the voice of their team.
After 35 years of calling the action on Bucks broadcasts, Jim Paschke will retire at the end of the 2020-21 season.@Paschketball explains the decision to @Giannis_An34: pic.twitter.com/BIDZDmOies
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) May 4, 2021
Jim has made it clear that this will be his final season covering the team. And honestly, it’s high time that he took a break off from the grueling NBA schedule.
Giannis Antetokounmpo says he’d retire if his son insisted on it
Jim revealed at the start of their interaction that it was his son’s idea for him to renounce the microphone. After all, he’s been a sportscaster for nearly two-thirds of his life, so taking his foot off the accelerator is a good idea at this stage:
“Last summer, before my son got married, he called me and he asked me to retire. And so that hit home with me and I said ‘Yes, I will.’ And I said ‘I don’t want somebody new to come in to this job and have to deal with Covid.’ So I’ve known for about a year that I’ll retire.”
“Living in the culture of basketball has been so enlightening to me. Being around that diverse culture and learning about people and learning we’re all alike, we’re all the same, that’s been the greatest blessing of my career, and my life, actually.”
Giannis, in reply, said he can relate to the sentiment that’s driven Jim’s decision:
“If my son asked me, ‘Dad, when are you going to retire and play more with me?’ I’d retire right now.”
