Nike Defends Giannis After Brown's "Childish" Comment

Following Giannis Antetokounmpo's dominant 59-point performance in the Milwaukee Bucks' 127-120 overtime win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, Nike appeared to fire back at recent criticism from Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown. Antetokounmpo, who scored an incredible 22 of the Bucks' first 24 points, came within five points of his career high.

Nike, a major sponsor of the "Greek Freak," posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Nothing childish about 'em. 59 for the Greek freak." This post seemed a clear response to Brown's comments after the Celtics' recent victory over Milwaukee, where he called Antetokounmpo "a child" following a playful, yet perhaps provocative, fake handshake by Antetokounmpo. Brown, at the time, stated, "Giannis is a child. I’m just focused on helping my team get a win. And that’s what we did tonight.”

The social media post highlights the strong relationship between Antetokounmpo and Nike, which dates back to his first sneaker deal in 2013. With the Bucks currently struggling at 4-8, Antetokounmpo's explosive performance offers a glimmer of hope. The upcoming rematch against the Celtics on December 6th is now highly anticipated, promising another chapter in the burgeoning rivalry between Antetokounmpo and Brown. This adds another layer of intrigue to an already compelling NBA season.