Giannis is the pride of Milwaukee.
Next year, he could have gone anywhere.
Could have hit Broadway to play for the New York Knicks.
Could have headed west to the Golden State Warriors.
Could have taken his talents to South Beach with the Miami Heat.
But instead, on Tuesday, the kind of chilly, bleak late autumn day that sends people fleeing from the Midwest, Giannis Antetokounmpo made his choice. He’s staying in Milwaukee. Sure, he got a supermax contract, which is “NBA speak” for getting more money than you can spend in a lifetime.
But in one beautiful tweet, he made the kind of statement that just takes your breath away:
“This is my home, this is my city. I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it.”
Guys like Giannis just don’t come along too often.
Yes, athletes with finite careers want to — have to — take care of themselves and their families. They profess loyalty to the teams they play for, but hard choices are always part of a competitive business.
Sometimes it all works out. Most times, it doesn’t. Players and teams move on because in professional sports nothing is ever really permanent.
But this is so different, a move that speaks to the extraordinary character and sunny disposition of a player and person who just exudes good vibes.
As upbeat as he is, Antetokounmpo also possesses the skill, steely determination and dedication to succeed at the highest level of professional sports.
He’s not just any player. He’s one of the greatest on Earth. And his aim is to win a title. For the Bucks. For Milwaukee.
And yes, for himself.
In a lot of ways, Tuesday felt like that day a couple of years ago when Milwaukee was picked to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
There was a buzz, an excitement as Milwaukee was recognized on the national stage, a medium-size Midwestern city that bested Miami and Houston.
Milwaukee’s political moment had arrived. Like everything else in 2020, though, the convention was overtaken by the coronavirus pandemic.
Maybe this thrill will last, will lead to a championship dream that actually becomes reality.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett weighed in Tuesday on the meaning of
Giannis sticking with Milwaukee.
Of course it was great news, he said. But then he dipped into history to put it all in context.
He recalled how more than a halfcentury ago the Bucks won the coin toss that led to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar coming to Milwaukee.
“That was huge,” he said. “And then I remember five or six years later he decided he wanted to go to a larger market.
“I think what we’re seeing right now is a reflection not only on Giannis but it’s also a reflection on the city. What has happened is Giannis has fallen in love with Milwaukee, with the Bucks, with the fans. And I think what has happened is, we have fallen in love with him.”
Barrett said it was a “great, great sign that Giannis wanted to continue his career here.”
“I think it also sends a huge message for Milwaukee and Wisconsin that we are the city, the home of MVPs, from Christian Yelich to Giannis to Aaron Rodgers. Obviously, some very good athletes love the lifestyle of Milwaukee and Wisconsin. They love the people of Milwaukee and Wisconsin. We can all be very, very proud.”
The signing brought back a swirl of emotions and memories for JoAnne Anton, who was a top political aide to former U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, the former owner of the Bucks.
After Kohl left political office, Anton moved into a role with the basketball team. She was there when Antetokounmpo arrived in Milwaukee after being drafted.
He was young, alone and spoke little English.
Anton and Giannis shared a homeland and conversed in Greek.
“I could tell he needed a mom, a temporary mom for five minutes,” she said.
So, Anton took him to lunch at Elsa’s on the Park, showed him the city, made him feel at home.
Later, she helped secure a visa for Giannis’ father, which enabled the rest of the Antetokounmpo family to settle in Wisconsin.
All these years later, and Anton isn’t surprised that Giannis decided to stay in Milwaukee.
“Milwaukee is home,” she said. “This is the place that took a chance on him and he took a chance on Milwaukee. I think they fit each other really well.
“Think about the similarities between who he is and what Milwaukee is. They are so aligned. Milwaukee is understated but hard working and gritty. I think that’s who Giannis has been as a player. He is forevermore symbolic of Milwaukee.”
“This is the place that took a chance on him and he took a chance on Milwaukee. I think they fit each other really well. Think about the similarities between who he is and what Milwaukee is. They are so aligned. Milwaukee is understated but hard working and gritty. I think that’s who Giannis has been as a player.”
JoAnne Anton Helped welcome Antetokounmpo to Milwaukee, working with the Bucks