Bucks Zone

“He better pick me!” - Jrue Holiday has a clear message for Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the All-Star game

Knowing how much Giannis loves Jrue, this won't be a problem!
Matthew Dugandzic|
©Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee Bucks

There is no question about it. Jrue Holiday wants to see himself play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in the upcoming All-Star Game.

And Holiday made sure to let his Milwaukee Bucks teammate know of his desire.

“He better pick me,” Holiday said when interviewed by Inside the NBA’s Ernie Johnson before the Bucks took on the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.

Antetokounmpo has been named as captain of the Eastern Conference All-Star team, where he will be tasked to pick teammates from the pool of All-Star reserves and All-Star starters. The selection process will start from the All-Star reserves.

In the interview, Johnson asked if there has been some discussion between Holiday and Giannis about who the Greek Freak will select first.

“He says he’s gonna pick me,” Holiday said, laughing.

Jrue made it clear that his foremost goal is to play for Team Giannis, which will go up against Team LeBron, which will be captained by LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Honored to just play

Turning serious, Holiday clarified and said the decision would be all up to Giannis.

“I would love to be in his team. But if he doesn’t pick me first, believe me, my feelings won’t be hurt,” Holiday said.

Holiday assured that he will go all-out regardless of who he has as teammates alongside him.

“I think at the end of the day, it’s about winning a game. It’s about winning, being competitive, putting on a great show,” he said.

Holiday will be appearing in his second All-Star Game, while it is going to be Giannis’ seventh. If Antetokounmpo makes true to his supposed promise to Holiday, the two will be playing as teammates for the first time in an All-Star game.

Chasing the #1 seed

Antetokounmpo and Holiday have been instrumental in the Bucks’ stellar showing in the current season. Led by the dynamic duo, the Bucks head to the All-Star break riding on a sizzling 12-game winning streak, and just half-game behind the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics. Boston is 42-17, while Milwaukee is 41-17. 

In the current season, Antetokounmpo is averaging 31.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, while Holiday is good for 19.4 points, 5.2 boards, 7.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.