NBA News: Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo responds to criticism with a clear message

The Milwaukee Bucks secured their first NBA championship in 50 years during the 2020-2021 season, with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way. However, since that title, the team has faced criticism for falling short in the subsequent seasons.

Following the championship, the Bucks were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the 2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals. In the two seasons that followed, the Bucks were bounced in the first round of the playoffs, leading to calls for changes in their style of play.

Antetokounmpo recently addressed these criticisms on the Thanalysis podcast, hosted by his brother, stating that he doesn’t feel the need to change his game, as there is no player quite like him. “Luka [Dončić] or Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] obviously have great things in their game,” Antetokounmpo said. “They’re very, very talented in many aspects of basketball.”

“But there’s never been another person like me,” he continued. “So, why would I try to change? I just have to evolve Giannis, and that’s been my mindset all year: evolve Giannis every single day. Evolve Giannis, bro. And it’s been working so far.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks against the Orlando Magic during a game in the NBA Emirates Cup Quarterfinal at Fiserv Forum. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Antetokounmpo and his midrange shot improvement

One area where Antetokounmpo has noticeably improved is his midrange shooting, which had been a weakness in previous seasons. While it may not be his strongest skill, Antetokounmpo emphasized the work he put in to improve this aspect of his game because he knew it was necessary.

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“Let me give you an interesting fact: Last year, the whole year, I made 36 midrange shots. This year, I think I’m already at 55, and it’s only been 23 games. That means this is becoming my game,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s one of those things where I had no choice. You have to evolve.”

“And I’m still working on it. I’m making shots, I’m becoming more comfortable, but I feel like I can make them at a higher clip,” he continued. “Next year, I want to shoot them at an even higher clip. I feel like other players shoot them way more often than I do.”

Giannis’ fearless mindset

Antetokounmpo’s dominant style of play is one of the reasons he’s considered one of the best players in the NBA. During the same interview with his brother, he opened up about the source of his fearless mindset. “Now, about fearlessness: it’s my nature to be fearless,” Antetokounmpo said. “At the end of the day, I believe that we only live once. You know what I’m saying? One day, it’s all going to end. So, what am I scared of?”

“There are moments when I’ve come down the court, like 3-on-4, and I had an angle to drive, but instead, I was like, ‘No, I’m shooting a three.’ Airball. Anybody else might fold after that. But me? I don’t care,” he continued. “I’ve air-balled free throws, turned the ball over, missed game-winning shots—I don’t care, man. You can’t go back and change it, so I just keep going. I only live once.”