NBA ALL-STAR MEDIA DAY

February 19, 2022

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Media Day Press Conference

Q. It’s safe to say you’re pretty used to being here at this point.

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: Yes. Obviously, I've been in eight weekends in my career. Six as an All-Star, two as a Rising Star. In the beginning you're excited, you're doing everything, you do all the interviews, you are shooting extra shots on the court, but then you realize, man, you grow a little bit, you have kids. They don't let you just sleep the night before. You realize, like, hey, you know, I have a long season ahead of me.

So, I just got to enjoy this weekend as much as possible, do what makes me happy, and keep it going.

Q. What is like being here and competing with your brothers?

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: We've been close obviously since we were kids, and growing up in a very small house, sleeping in the same bed makes you close. You have no other option, but at the end of the day, I try to involve in everything I do with my brothers. Just bring them along in the journey, and they do the same for me, too. Whenever my little brother travels in a different city I've never been, he sends me pictures. He brings me along his journey.

I think that's what life is about. My mom is here. My brother is here. My kids are here. We keep growing, growing every year, so I'm happy that I'm in a position that I can bring them along with me, and they can have fun and enjoy the process also.

Q. What are your thoughts on Ja Morant?

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: He has improved every single year. He is having an unbelievable year this year. Crazy. I know that he is a very humble kid. I know he works extremely hard, and why not? Why he cannot win a championship in Memphis? A lot of people think that it cannot be done, and that's something that he should literally consider a lot of people think that he cannot do it. For me that motivates me even more, you know, when people think you got to go to a big market to win a championship, you have to join this guy to win a championship, you have to do that, that, this, this to be able to be in the top, but it's not necessarily true. You just have to do what makes you happy.

And I think he is happy where he is right now. He has an unbelievable team. They have great culture, a great coach. The sky is the limit for them, but at the end of the day he got to do what makes him happy. Being in Memphis for 15 years, 20 years trying to win a championship, which can be done, make him happy, he should do that. If moving somewhere else makes him happy, he should do that too. I feel like his story is unbelievable. He is going to be really good.

Q. Do you guys feel like you can win another championship this season?

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: Oh, big-time question. I don't know. Obviously, you know, every single day that goes by, I try to do what I can do to be ready, and I improve my game. If we're going to go back-to-back, I don't know. You don't know. Nobody knows. Can't predict the future, but I know -- one thing that I do whatever I can today to be the best player that I can be today, and hopefully that puts me in a position that I can win the back-to-back title.

Q. Do you think about your place among the all-time greats?

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: That's a great question. Man. Wow, man. Do I care? I think the correct answer here is -- no, I don't care. You know? I'm trying to win games and stuff, but I view it this way, I view that at the end of the day you got to run your own race, and I got to be the best that I can be.

Now where that's going to take me, I don't know, but I don't look at Magic, Kevin Garnett, Scottie Pippen, K.D., LeBron, I don't look at them and think, yeah, I want that. I'm always, how can I be the best that I can? How can I maximize my own potential? How can I at the end of the day when I finish my career, I look back and I gave everything? Wherever that takes me, which I hope I'm one of the best to ever play, but if I'm not, it doesn't matter to me because I know that I gave everything. I'm literally obsessed with basketball. I dream basketball. Every single night. At first when I started playing basketball, I didn't know that, but now, I'm obsessed. I study the game. I watch other players. I do whatever I can to be ready to play the game. I take care of my body. I'm satisfied with wherever that lands me.

Q. On staying and winning in Milwaukee.

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: I joined the best: Chris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, they're the best.

That's what made me happy at the time, and that's what I wanted. That's what I did. You know, I didn't even think about it that deep, like joining the best and, you know, joining forces and, you know, big threes and all that. I was just, like, hey, you know, I'm going to stay in Milwaukee. I think can I do it here. I have great teammates here. Great organization, great coach. It's a great place to be, and I was, like, okay, I stayed in Milwaukee, and we did it. I believe that if we keep staying humble and hungry, we can do it again. The sky is the limit for us, but I'm excited. I'm excited. I'm happy being in Milwaukee.

Q. What is the outlook for the stretch run for the Bucks?

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO: We have a great team. We're in a good place. We have to keep building that chemistry, team coming together, building good habits. Every year there's five, six teams that have a chance to win a championship, and as long as you are there, that's all you can ask for. I have finished seasons with having the best record in the East, the best record in the NBA, actually, I think, one year, and we didn't win a championship. When the year started, there's five, six teams that really have a chance. Everybody wants to win it, but there's five, six teams.

So just being there, that's all you can ask for. Keep building good habits. You have a little bit of luck. As a team we started playing good basketball towards the end. Maybe we can do it again. Who knows? We're in a good place. We have a hell of a team.

Thank you, guys.