By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The first team practice of the Milwaukee Bucks for the 2020-21 season included birthday wishes and presents with special meaning for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The back-to-back reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Giannis Antetokounmpo celebrated his 26th birthday and Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton with the rest of the team gave him pens as presents, a clear reference to him signing the supermax contract that will keep him for a long time with the Bucks.
“We definitely sang a happy birthday after practice. Me and PC thought the perfect gift to him from our teammates is just to give him a pen,” Middleton said. “So there were pens in his locker for his birthday present. I told him, ‘Those should be some of the best birthday gifts he’s ever gotten,’ so hopefully he enjoys it and uses it.”
Antetokounmpo has until the 21st of December to sign the extension, but he could agree to the same deal with the Bucks next summer if he does not test the market as an unrestricted free agent.
During a recent interview with Greek television station COSMOTE TV, Giannis didn’t tackle directly the supermax question, but he addressed the issue of pairing up with other stars.
When asked about the reports according to which he is taking pride in being the top player on his team and trying to get to a championship title by himself, Giannis clarified that this is simply not the case: “For sure I am proud of what we have achieved with this team, starting from 15 wins and getting to 60. And last season we could have gotten to 65-70 wins. But being proud of not having support around me, it’s not true. If I was the fifth or sixth-best player on the team, I would have been ok with that”.