The Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo are one step ahead of the start of the NBA season.
The whole team dealt with Media Day, but it was the “Greek Freak” in the spotlight! Giannis, having left the national emblem and wearing the “deer” badge again, spoke about the love that the National Team experienced from the Greek public in their effort before and during Eurobasket 2022.
Even if they were outside the medal zone, the support was evident!
“It’s a lot, you get burned out a little bit,” the player told. “Playing a lot of basketball through the past few years, you need to take a break not only physically but mentally – to go away from the game and spend some time with your family, do what you love and just sit on the couch eating Doritos, and be a couch potato. You need that in order for you to be great. It sounds bad but you need it.”
Giannis on his experience representing Greece in Eurobasket. 🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/qaaW7W9RYo
— NBA (@NBA) September 25, 2022
“It was a great experience representing my country, I had fun. It was the first time I saw people engaged. People had hope, basketball came back to Greece even though we were one game short of the medals,” the Greek Freak told. “I felt like people had hope, and it was the most amazing thing. People were following us on the road everywhere we went and were cheering for us, cheering for the flag.”
“Representing your national team is heavy, it’s not easy. It’s a flag, you represent the whole country. I think 6 or 7 million people watched the games we played when it’s ten-and-a-half million people in Greece, that’s awesome. Obviously, I’m a bit tired physically and mentally but I’m excited about the season,” he explained. “This summer was fun.”
Giannis also addressed issues from the other side of the Atlantic and the NBA, speaking initially answering the question of the “top” and emphasizing: “If I believe that I am one of the best players in the league and the way I play for my team is efficient ; Yes! I’m mature enough to understand that. But I don’t think I’m the best. The leader is the one who stays standing until the end.
Giannis was elected into the All-EuroBasket team even though his team did not participate in the final stages of the tournament. The Greek Freak averaged 29.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists for Greece. Nevertheless, he admits that it was way harder than in the NBA, similarly to what Luka Doncic said several months ago.
“The game in Europe is way harder than the game in the NBA,” he said. “The talent in the NBA is obviously higher. I think over there it’s more intense. People pick you up full court, lanes close, and it’s a lot more physical. I don’t know if they’re more physical because you have less talent.”
“For a kid like me who came from nothing, I think the NBA spoiled me a little bit,” Giannis explained. “When you go overseas, things are not the same. Things are easy here, it doesn’t take a toll on you. We’re beyond blessed.”
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