Laughing At His Trophies, Giannis Antetokounmpo Fires More Shots At Stephen A Smith For His “Underachiever” Comment

Joseph Galizia | 01/07/2025
Apr 29, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a one-of-a-kind superstar, an athletic force, a two-time MVP, and the face of the Milwaukee Bucks, whom he led to a championship in 2021. So when someone takes a shot at his name, he’s not the type to stay quiet, as he recently showed on social media.

Who would dare tarnish Giannis’ legacy? Unsurprisingly, it was Stephen A. Smith — never one to shy away from bold, often unhinged takes. On First Take, he claimed that if Giannis doesn’t win another championship, the word “underachiever” will define his career. Frankly, that’s a ridiculous claim.

Smith may have a net worth exceeding $100 million, but Giannis has done that and so much more. In addition to his NBA championship and MVP titles, he’s a nine-time All-Star, a former Defensive Player of the Year, an NBA Cup Champion, and also a Finals MVP. The “Greek Freak” is not even 30 years old yet, meaning there’s still a lot left for him to achieve. For instance, being a comedian?

Giannis posted a photo of all his trophies on Instagram, captioned, “Underachiever my a**,” followed by several laughing emojis to drive home his point. It may seem petty to some, but Giannis has earned the right to respond that way, especially when it’s aimed at an analyst known for making outrageous statements.

This wasn’t the first time Giannis took a jab at Smith, either. Shortly after the New York Knicks diehard made his shocking comment, Giannis reposted a tweet highlighting his struggles as a youngster and how, thanks to basketball, he became a multi-millionaire with an NBA ring to show for it.

That said, Giannis finds himself at an odd crossroads in his career. That 2021 NBA championship feels like a distant memory, and the Bucks have suffered embarrassing first-round exits in three straight postseasons. Rumors have since emerged suggesting the big man might be open to leaving Milwaukee.

Free agency is in full swing, with teams making major moves to strengthen their rosters. Giannis remains a Buck, for now, and could still choose to stay another year. But would a change of scenery help him grow that trophy case a bit more? Possibly.

He’s been closely watching Milwaukee’s offseason moves, hoping the team can be more competitive than it’s been lately. As he should. And while we wait to see what happens, one thing’s for sure: taking the time to dunk on Stephen A. Smith was a slam dunk of its own. That alone should punch his ticket to the Hall of Fame.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Giannis Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks Stephen A Smith

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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