I Don’t See Nobody Wearing the Giannis Antetokounmpo Shoes: Former Bucks Guard Shades 2x MVP’s New Sneakers

Women’s basketball stars are entering the sneaker game at an unprecedented pace. Until last year, New York Liberty duo Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart were the only active players with a shoe deal. However, this year, A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, and Angel Reese signed deals to get their signature shoe. Jeff Teague is hyped for those sneakers and believes they’ll sell like hotcakes. In fact, he believes they will outsell the signature shoes of several NBA stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo.

On the Club 520 Podcast, the Greek Freak’s former teammate and his co-hosts discussed the waning interest in NBA stars’ uninspiring signature shoes. They felt a lot of men’s basketball stars with their own shoe line did not deserve one.

They predicted that women’s basketball stars like Wilson, Clark, and Reese, who are more popular than some NBA stars, will have more culturally impactful sneakers than their male counterparts. The trio pointed out they don’t even know what some NBA stars’ signature sneakers look like. Teague said,

“[LeBron’s] is over with. It’s kind of quiet for Giannis. I don’t see anybody wearing the new Giannis’. Have you seen anybody with them?”

It might be hard to believe, but Antetokounmpo recently released his sixth signature shoe ‘Giannis Freak 6’. They have been available at retail stores since August, but haven’t sold particularly well.

Most shoes are still on shelves similar to their predecessor, the ‘Giannis Freak 5’. Sneakerheads have continued to be loyal to Air Jordans and Kobe Bryant’s Mamba line. Only Ja Morant and LaMelo Ball’s shoes have gained traction among young fans. However, most new signature sneakers, like the ‘Giannis Freak 6,’ haven’t captivated fans.

But the Bucks superstar wouldn’t be bothered about the lack of sales. He’s glad that he has a sneaker deal and gets free shoes. In fact, he’ll never turn down the opportunity to get a pair free of cost, regardless of the brand.

Giannis accepted a pair of shoes from Damian Lillard

After the release of his new shoe ‘Dame 9,’ Bucks star Damian Lillard gifted a pair to all of his teammates. Lillard, an Adidas athlete, accidentally, or perhaps cunningly, got a pair for Antetokounmpo, who is signed to Nike and has his signature shoe line.

Almost every athlete would have turned a blind eye or politely declined to take a shoe made by the rival of the company they are signed to.  But not Antetokounmpo. He gladly took the pair and when asked why he accepted an Adidas sneaker as a gift, he said,

“Free shoes is free shoes, my brother. I don’t care, man.”

It’s a reflection of Antetokounmpo’s upbringing. He grew up in dire financial circumstances and hasn’t forgotten his roots. While he has 100s of millions in the bank today, on the inside, he’s still that kid from Greece who dreamt of having things he knew his parents could never afford.