By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The 2025-26 NBA Regular Season has been unlike any other in the storied career of Giannis Antetokounmpo. While the Milwaukee Bucks forward remains an elite force on the court, the internal and external pressures of the past several months have created a campaign dictated by personal sacrifice and professional uncertainty rather than by championship aspirations. As a disappointing season grinds to a halt with Antetokounmpo sidelined by a team-mandated shutdown, the two-time MVP is finally opening up about the toll this year has taken on his mental state and his family life.
“I’ve never had this season in my career. It was tough for a lot of reasons,” he admitted in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The primary source of that difficulty, he revealed, was the choice to begin the season separated from his wife, Mariah, and their four young children. For the first time in his professional life, the 31-year-old point forward started the year in Milwaukee while his family remained thousands of miles away in Greece. The distance created a void that statistics couldn’t fill. “This was my first time in my career being away from my family,” he said. “I was here, and my family wasn’t. My body was in the game, but my mind was not. And I think that affected me in a way, because when your mind is not fully locked into what you love to do.”
The decision to keep his family in Greece through October and November was a calculated move to shield them from a wildfire of speculation regarding his future in Milwaukee. With reports linking him to trade talks with teams like the New York Knicks, the uncertainty was high on both sides. Confirming these rumors, Antetokounmpo took it upon himself to act as a protector. “I didn’t know how this is going to be. And one thing that I always said is that as a father, I would never put my kids in a position where my profession would hurt them and their lifestyle,” he explained.
While the separation allowed his children to focus on language immersion and stay away from the media circus, it left the Bucks’ leader feeling isolated. Although the family eventually reunited around Thanksgiving, the early-season strain and the ongoing privacy concerns, exacerbated by Greek media outlets reporting on his children’s school locations, have left him defensive. Antetokounmpo remains firm that while he is a public figure, his children are not. “They didn’t do it one time. They did it multiple times,” he said of the privacy breaches. “No, no, no, you talk about me. I’m the public figure. Not my kids.”
On Sunday, the Greek Freak was once more limited to watching his two brothers enter the game in the closing minutes, with Thanasis dunking on a lob from Alex for Milwaukee’s final basket. The 33-year-old forward got two points and one steal, while the 24-year-old forward had two points and one assist. French starter Ousmane Dieng tallied 17 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in 31 minutes.
Doc Rivers faces uncertain future
With a 131-115 victory, the Bucks improved to 31-47 under head coach Doc Rivers. Per insider Marc Stein, the 64-year-old tactician and the franchise may part ways or restructure his role. Rivers was officially named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2026 class on Saturday, a crowning achievement that some believe may signal his transition away from coaching. If a coaching search is launched, former Bucks assistant and Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins would be a primary candidate to take the reins.
Rayan Rupert posts triple-double
Despite the loss to Milwaukee, French starter Rayan Rupert delivered a career performance for the Grizzlies. The 21-year-old guard posted his first career triple-double, setting new personal bests with 33 points and ten assists, while adding ten rebounds and four steals in 39 minutes.
Finnish head coach Tuomas Iisalo praised the team’s chemistry during a postgame press conference, noting how the entire bench and locker room genuinely celebrated Rupert’s milestone. “The way guys are sharing the ball. The way they’re competing. The way they enjoy each other’s successes, like today. Rayan Rupert, first career triple-double, and everybody on the bench was genuinely very happy for him, and also in the locker room. In this stage of the season, that’s really cool to see,” said the 43-year-old play-caller.
While his side continues to navigate a season hampered by injuries, including the loss of Spain’s Santi Aldama to surgery recovery, the emergence of young talents like Rupert and fellow Frenchman Adama Bal remains a bright spot for the rebuilding squad, with the 22-year-old French wing tallying eight points, two steals, two assists, and two rebounds in 25 minutes before fouling out against the Bucks.