NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo agrees to reported $228m extension with Bucks
Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has agreed to a five-year, supermax extension with the Milwaukee Bucks. ESPN reports the deal will earn the Greek star $228.2m.
The 26-year-old forward announced the deal on Tuesday on Twitter.
“This is my home, this is my city,” he posted. “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.”
The deal ends months of speculation about Antetokounmpo’s future. Most of the talk centered around whether Antetokounmpo would opt to enter free agency following hints in the offseason that he wanted to be paired with another superstar.
With an average annual value of $45.6m, it is the largest contract in NBA history, according to The Athletic.
Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook signed a five-year, $206.8m contract with the Oklahoma City
Thunder in 2018, with an annual average salary of $41.4m. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry signed a five-year, $201.2m extension in 2017.
Antetokounmpo’s agent, Alex Saratsis, confirmed the details of the contract with ESPN. It includes an optout after the fourth year. His decision means the Bucks will hang on to their biggest superstar since Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who led Milwaukee to its lone NBA title in 1971 but demanded a trade and was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975.
Antetokounmpo won defensive player of the year honors along with his second straight MVP award in 2019-20. He posted career highs in scoring (29.5) and rebounding (11.4) and led the Bucks (56-17) to the best record in the Eastern Conference.
The four-time All-Star has career averages of 20.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals in 528 games (463 starts) with the Bucks. He was Milwaukee’s first-round pick (15th overall) in 2013.