After leading the Milwaukee Bucks to win their first championship in 50 years, Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo reveals he didn’t go the “easy way” by joining a super team, rather did it the “hard way”.
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Fifty years. Five decades is how long Milwaukee had to wait before the NBA championship returned to the city. And there couldn’t have been any better way for this extraordinarily special season to come to an end.
After seven long months, a shortened season, packed schedules, playing amid a deadly pandemic, it is Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks who end up lifting the prestigious Larry O’Brien trophy.
As for the Greek Freak, he has finally done it. After a few heartbreaking playoffs exit the past few years, the 6-foot-11 forward has marvellously led his team from the front, not only winning his first-ever but also added a Finals MVP to his overly-stacked resume.
The 2-time MVP had a historic playoffs run and clearly saved his best for last. Antetokounmpo had a historical Game 6 putting up a magnificent 50 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks, preventing the Phoenix Suns to force a Game 7. After leading his Bucks team to a 105-98 win, Giannis has successfully overcome a 0-2 deficit to be named a champion.
“Could’ve joined a super team and won it the easy way. But I did it the hard way”: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Several analysts, fans and even former NBA legends had suggested that Giannis joined a super team this past offseason when he had decided to sign a five-year $228 million super-max contract. Cut to today, Antetokounmpo has won his maiden NBA championship ring playing for the same team that drafted him 8 years ago… without needing any superstar to help him.
During his emotional postgame interview, Antetokounmpo gave a special shout-out to all the doubters who had suggested he left Milwaukee to join a super team. Giannis simply said:
“I could’ve gone to a super team … but this is the hard way to do it, and I did it.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo on signing his supermax extension to remain in Milwaukee before the season began: “I could’ve gone to a super team … but this is the hard way to do it, and I did it.”
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) July 21, 2021
Also Read: Giannis Antetokounmpo celebrates winning the 2021 NBA Championship while making a joke
It almost feels as if the 5-time All-Star took a subtle shot at all those megastars who joined or former super-teams in order to win their championship.
This championship is truly going to be the best feat of Giannis’ incredible illustrious career. Not only has the Freak proven his dominance in this heavily competitive league, but he has also stormed his way into almost every analyst and fan’s “top-15” or “top-20” player of all-time list.
