Giannis Antetokounmpo, a superstar player for the Milwaukee Bucks, has stated that he will wait to sign a contract extension until he is convinced of the team’s dedication to winning another championship.
The two-time MVP may exercise a player option for the 2025-26 season on his current contract, which runs through the 2024-25 season. The extension would be for three years and $173 million.
Antetokounmpo previously told The New York Times that he will not sign an extension this year because ‘numbers wise it doesn’t make sense,’ though he did hint that doing so would be more possible next summer.
To which I reply, “Even then, I don’t know,” he finally conceded. I can’t give it my all unless I know everyone else is committed to winning as much as I am and is willing to make the same kind of personal sacrifices that I am. And without that, I won’t sign.
In 2021, just seven months after signing a supermax agreement, the seven-time All-NBA forward led Milwaukee to the franchise’s first championship in half a century. However, in the two subsequent seasons, the Bucks have failed to advance past the second round of the playoffs.
Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a 58-24 record last season with an average of 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.
The Bucks’ 58-24 record was the best in the NBA that season, but they were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs.
After that, they brought in former Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin to replace fired head coach Mike Budenholzer.
When asked about his future in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo stated he wants to’see the dynamics’ of how everything works with the new coaching staff.
The seven-time All-Star also expressed a desire to finish his career with the same team.
But at the end of the day, winning is all that matters, as Antetokounmpo put it.
Championship glory is the top priority. I don’t want to be on the same team for 20 years and not have a shot at another title.
