Patrick Beverley is not the man to back away from challenges. Despite being undersized at 6ft 2″, the Philadelphia 76ers guard loves to compete against the greatest in the world. Back in 2021-22, during his time with the Wolves, Beverley wasn’t too happy when Giannis Antetokounmpo decided to sit out a Wolves vs. Bucks game. Recounting the story on a recent episode of the ‘Pat Bev Podcast‘, the veteran defender revealed the hilarious aftermath of the Greek Freak’s decision.
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In the 2021-22 NBA season, Patrick Beverley played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, a side that hadn’t made the playoffs since 2018 at the time. Looking to change that, the guard brought accountability to the team’s dressing room, something that bore results immediately. Minnesota made the play-in tournament that season, before fighting through it to qualify for the playoffs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo backing out of a contest against the Wolves annoyed Patrick Beverley
Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t one to back out of challenges as well. However, the Greek Freak, like many superstars in the NBA today, does ‘load management’ at times. One such occasion arose when the Milwaukee Bucks faced off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2021-22 season.
Beverley hadn’t been given any prior notice about Giannis’ decision to pull out of the contest. So, when he did eventually find out, he was beyond annoyed. During a recent episode of ‘the Pat Bev Podcast, the 35-year-old explained the hilarious events that came next.
“I look on the board, Giannis’ name is out. I’m furious now. ‘Why the f**k he ain’t playing?!’… I see his brother. ‘What’s up? Your brother [Giannis Antetokounmpo] ducking smoke?’… Something he said. ‘Oh aight, ducking smoke, aight’. We laugh about it.
(Later) Giannis was walking out of the locker room, stops the coaches, (Imitating Antetokounmpo perfectly) ‘Excuse me guys, ‘scuse me guys’… [Beverley says] ‘Greek, what up, G?’. [Giannis says] ‘Never duck smoke, Pat. Never’.
‘Why the f**k you ain’t playing, Greek?’.
‘I was at the back eating pasta. But never duck smoke, Pat! Never, never’.”
Beverley also mentioned how the two talked about potentially teaming up together to win a championship. Beverley revealed that Giannis Antetokounmpo invited him to the Milwaukee Bucks. However, Pat Bev responded by inviting him to Minnesota. Both parties declined their respective offers and admitted to liking each other’s personalities.
Irrespective of their spot on the NBA rankings, these two players share the ‘win at all cost’ mentality. It will certainly be exciting if the two ever teamed up together.
However, for now, they are direct rivals, as important players in two of the powerhouses in the Eastern Conference. Still, it is something Beverley will likely relish, considering he will get to play against the Greek Freak far more often, this upcoming season.
Beverley called Giannis a ‘world champion trash talker’
Giannis Antetokounmpo is known by many as a player who does not deviate into smack talk during NBA games. However, while speaking on the Greek Freak on his podcast, Patrick Beverley revealed the Bucks man has his own, hilarious brand of trash talking.
“Pat, Pat. No, no. Champ. Champion”
Admittedly hilarious smack talk that you can’t respond to with anything. Even in the middle of games, Giannis can’t seem to help but break the tension.
