Giannis Antetokounmpo is undoubtedly asserting himself as the leader of the Milwaukee Bucks, delivering an MVP-caliber season averaging 32.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 6 assists, this marks the best statistical year of his career. However, as the 30-year-old superstar gets more mature, he has already started planning his life after NBA.
In the Milwaukee Sentinel Journal, Giannis confessed the following: “Afterward, when I retire, I want to be a head coach. A lot of people don’t know that about me, but I want to be a head coach. I really want to be.“ Giannis Antetokounmpo got a taste of coaching during the 2023 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game, where he had the chance to lead a team. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “I was in it… I wanted to win.”
The competitive fire that drives elite athletes is undeniable, and Giannis is no exception. The adrenaline of the game, he admits, is something athletes miss once they retire. During the All-Star Game, he discovered that he not only enjoys the challenge of coaching but also has an intrinsic desire to win in that role. It is a mindset that has defined his career, and it is clear that his ambition does not stop once he steps off the court.
The fact that Giannis has confessed this does not mean that he considers it a difficult task because he knows that it is a very difficult task to transmit all his knowledge. “It’s kind of hard because you have no control (of the game). And, I know the game of basketball, I know how to play the game of basketball, so it’s hard,” affirmed the two-times NBA MVP award winner.
Being a head coach requires a different skill set than playing professionally, including developing game strategies, delivering motivational speeches, and inspiring players to give their best effort. Giannis recognizes that this transition will not be easy, but it is something he is seriously considering for his future.
Does Giannis Antetokounmpo care about his legacy after NBA retirement?
Despite his winning mentality, Giannis Antetokounmpo confessed that he does not want to be recognized after retiring from the NBA: “When I retired from this game, I want to disappear, I want to go somewhere that they would not gonna know me…I want to be like, I don’t know how to say this, like you see MJ, you see Magic (Johnson), you see these all-time greats like that, they’ve retired but people still like know them and follow them up and all that. I don’t know if I can do that.“
Giannis wants to have peace of mind after retirement because he does not want to be under pressure and continue to be recognized as Michael Jordan. This highlights the human value of Giannis who prioritizes his peace of mind over fame and recognition.