Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are about to kick off their pursuit of one other NBA title, but for a moment a number of years ago, there was a scenario where he wouldn’t be pursuing anything in any respect in basketball.
The Greek superstar revealed to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he nearly retired and walked away from the sport in 2020, not long after signing a $228 million “supermax” cope with the Bucks – on the time, the biggest contract in NBA history.
“I had that conversation – yes – with the front office,” Antetokounmpo said, after saying that he was “able to walk away from the sport” across the time he signed his extension.
“Everybody is taking a look at me like I used to be crazy. ‘You only signed the biggest contract in NBA history and you should walk away from the sport and all that cash…?’
“Mannnnn, you’ll be able to take that cash and shove it into your…”
That was 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was still raging and tens of millions of individuals were coping with individual mental health crises.
Antetokounmpo was no different – citing the stress that got here with being a superstar player, in addition to the lack of his father Charles, as reasons he was considering walking away.
It was when he decided to see a therapist that he finally got here to peace with the assorted elements of his life.
“I kept talking with this (counselor). He helped me loads – not only being a greater basketball player, having the ability to cope with it; but being a greater partner, higher father, higher brother, higher son. Higher person. Being not locked into myself, having the ability to give people what I feel. Because at one point, I used to be attempting to get away from everybody. And that’s not me; I’m very social. I prefer to interact with other people.
“And I began talking to him and he helped me. Then I had this event in Saint-Tropez with Kevin Love. And we talked about it.”
Love, too, has been outspoken about how he has handled mental health issues throughout his own decorated NBA profession.
The subsequent season, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks went on to win their first NBA Finals championship, defeating the Phoenix Suns in six games.
As well as, he and his brother Thanasis founded the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation within the name of their late father, who died of a heart attack in 2017 on the age of 53.
“I attempted to assist as many individuals as I can,” Giannis said.
The Bucks are entering the 2023 NBA Playoffs as the highest seed within the East and can face the remaining Eastern Conference team that comes out of the eighth-place play-in tournament.
The winner of Wednesday night’s game between the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors will face the Miami Heat on Friday – and the winner of that game will travel to Milwaukee.
