Former Bucks Forward Praises Giannis Antetokounmpo for Under The Radar Skill

Alex Kirschenbaum | Sep 8, 2025

Apr 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA: Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) reach for the ball in the third quarter during game four of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

A former Milwaukee Bucks 3-and-D swingman, now several years removed from the league, has looked back on his time with nine-time All-NBA superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Tony Snell, who played alongside Antetokounmpo for the Bucks from 2016-19, had most recently been plying his trade stateside for the G League affiliates of first the Boston Celtics (the Maine Celtics) and later the Miami Heat (the Sioux Falls Skyforce) since the 2022-23 season, but finally signed on with French club Boulazac Basket Dordogne for 2025-26.

Across 229 regular season contests (151 starts) with Milwaukee, Snell averaged 7.2 points on .448/.403/.824 shooting splits, 2.4 assists, 1.1 assists and 0.6 steals a night.

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During a new interview with Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype, Snell revealed what made his two best teammates — Antetokounmpo and Snell's former Chicago Bulls colleague Jimmy Butler — stand out.

"Both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler are big on mastering their craft and their spots. Specifically, Jimmy is really big on bringing confidence to his teammates," Snell said. "They're always encouraging their teammates to shoot the ball, be aggressive, and play their own game."

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The 6-foot-6 small forward went on to further applaud how Antetokounmpo and Butler lead by example.

"They always uplift their teammates using their voices, but not only their voices, they show it with their actions," Snell added. "I'm here to do the same thing, learning from them."

Snell's Tenure in Milwaukee

During his first season in town, the New Mexico product started in all 80 regular season and all six playoff games for the Bucks.

In Snell's following season with the Bucks, 2017-18, then-head coaches Jason Kidd and his interim replacement Joe Prunty toggled with Snell in a bench role, starting him in 59 of his 75 contests and just two of his seven playoff games.

Kidd's permanent replacement the next season, Mike Budenholzer, cut Snell's minutes significantly the next season, from 27.4 in 2017-18 to 17.6 in 2018-19, and made him more of a long-term reserve.

The Bucks traded Snell and the draft rights to guard Kevin Porter Jr., the No. 30 pick in 2019 out of USC, to the Detroit Pistons for big man Jon Leuer.

Funnily enough, Milwaukee would trade for Porter midway through the 2024-25 season.

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