The rise and fall of Giannis Antetokounmpo's time with the Milwaukee Bucks

Depending on who you ask, Giannis Antetokounmpo's time in Milwaukee will be remembered either in greatness or disappointment.

With the offseason officially upon us, and after a whole season of the Antetokounmpo rumor mill spinning around all the way since December, it seems the Greek Freak’s time with the Milwaukee Bucks is nearing the end.

Teams like the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics have made it clear that they’re interested in the two-time Most Valuable Player, and a blockbuster trade could be in the works during this summer.

While the people of Milwaukee will call him the greatest buck to ever put on the jersey, people like ESPN’s Michael Wilbon have lost faith in the 31-year-old after years of injuries and limited playoff success since the winning the NBA Finals in 2021.

Nonetheless, Antetokounmpo's resume speaks for itself and the weight his name carries still makes him one of the best players in the NBA who can change the trajectory of an organization. But how did it get to this point?

At 18 years old, Antetokounmpo was selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Athens, Greece native was a player that showed great athleticism and length which made him a prospect with high potential despite not playing the best competition.

He was a project player. Someone who was going to take a few years to mold before becoming a starter or a key player in the Bucks rotation.

The innocent beginning... and eventual rise

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kobe Bryant — Dec 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) defends Los Angeles Lakers forward Kobe Bryant (24) as he drives to the basket in the first quarter of the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

In his rookie season, Antetokounmpo averaged 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in the 77 games he played while starting in 23 of them. Those numbers earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

In the 2016-17 season, the potential that Bucks initially saw began to come to fruition. Averaging 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.9 blocks, Antetokounmpo won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award.

To go along with his first major individual NBA award, he made the All-NBA Second Team while leading the Bucks to the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Ultimately Milwaukee lost to the No. 3 seed Toronto Raptors in six games, but what Antetokounmpo was able to show in the regular season and the playoffs, gave the Bucks a future to look forward to.

Antetokounmpo took another major leap in his career during the 2018-19 season, winning his first NBA MVP while being selected to the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive First Team.

The Bucks captured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 1974 and had their eyes set on the NBA Finals.

Giannis Antetokounmpo MVP bobblehead is among the giveaway Items for 2019-20 season. Image Giannis Mvp Bobble | Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Sweeping past the Detroit Pistons in the first round and beating the No.4 seed Boston Celtics in five games, Milwaukee reached the Eastern Conference Finals where they faced the Toronto Raptors led by Kawhi Leonard.

Taking the first two games, the Bucks were in the driver's seat -- only two wins away from potentially ending a 48-year drought.

In game three back in Toronto, the Raptors pulled away in overtime winning 118-112 behind Leonard's 36 points, while Antetokounmpo was held to scoring 12 points while shooting 31.3% from the field.

Following the loss in Game 3, the Bucks didn't win another game, losing four straight to the Raptors and losing in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Antetokounmpo described it as one of the most hurtful moments in his career. Throughout the series he struggled with his jump shot, making him one-dimensional on offense, and not capitalizing at the free throw line.

The disappointment before the dominance

Dec 29, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks the ball against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

He followed that season up with another MVP and added the Defensive Player of the Year to his long list of accolades. The Bucks once again got the No.1 seed in the east and went into the bubble looking to get over the hump.

In the second round, Milwaukee matched up with the Miami Heat, where the Bucks started the series losing the first two games.

Things went from bad to worse for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks as he injured his ankle in game 3 and later reaggravated it in Game 4 leading him to miss Game 5.

The Bucks would lose in five games and the criticism of him only showing up in the regular season began to grow and tarnish his reputation.

Two months later, the Bucks organization decided to make a move that would be one of the best decisions in franchise history.

In a four team trade that involved Milwaukee, the New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets, the Bucks acquired guard Jrue Holiday.

Holiday was one of the best defenders in the league and was coming off a season where he averaged 19.1 points, 6.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game, while making the All-NBA Defensive First Team with the Pelicans.

The Bucks looked like a more complete team, and if there was going to be one year to get over the hump it would be the following season.

After going 46-26, the Bucks earned the No. 3 seed in the east and matched with the Miami Heat in the first round. Milwaukee got its revenge over the Heat sweeping them with the best moment coming from Khris Middleton, as he knocked down the game winner in Game 1.

The second round brought one of the best series of the playoffs against the Brooklyn Nets which went to Game 7. That game came down a size 18 shoe from Kevin Durant whose foot was on the 3-point line which would've given the Nets the lead by one with one second remaining.

Kevin Durant and Giannis — May 2, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) drives for the basket against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

However, the game went into overtime where the Bucks prevailed behind Antetokounmpo's 40 points and 13 rebounds to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals to face the Atlanta Hawks.

The Bucks would beat the Hawks in six games despite Antetokounmpo hyperextending his knee in Game 4 and Milwaukee was back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.

While Antetokounmpo was still not fully healthy, he suited up in Game 1 against the Phoenix Suns recording 20 points and 17 rebounds in the loss. He followed that performance with 42 points in Game 2, but the result was the same.

Now trailing two games to none, it seemed like it was going to be another disappointing end to a season for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, but the series wasn't over yet.

Milwaukee protected home court by winning both games three and four with Antetokounmpo having his signature block on Deandre Ayton in Game 4.

In Game 5, the Bucks saw themselves trailing by 16 in the first quarter, but in the end it was Milwaukee who came out on top as Holiday's steal on Devin Booker and alley-oop assist to Antetokounmpo iced the game to take a 3-2 lead in the series.

Game 6, gave us arguably one of greatest close out game in NBA History with Antetokounmpo recording 50 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks to bring Milwaukee its first championship in 50 years.

He finished the series averaging 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 61.8% from the field. After two years in a row where he didn't play to his fullest, Antetokounmpo made a statement and left no doubts.

The weight of not getting over hump was lifted and the emotions from Antetokounmpo spread to the streets of Milwaukee as Bucks fans could finally call themselves champions.

Attempt at a follow-up

The job wasn't finished as Milwaukee added more pieces to the roster in attempt to repeat as champions. Things fell short the following year as the Bucks lost in the second round to the Boston Celtics as Middleton missed majority of the playoffs with a sprained MCL.

In 2023, the Bucks made history, but in a in a different way. They became the sixth No. 1 seed in NBA playoff history to lose in the first round as Jimmy Butler and the Heat go the last laugh. This moment is where everything started to go downhill for Milwaukee.

While many people believed the Bucks could've kept the same pieces and give it another try, they decided to swing for the fences and shake things up.

First, head coach Mike Budenholzer was fired following the historical upset and hired Adrian Griffin. Then almost five months later the Bucks decided trade for point guard Damian Lillard.

After starting the season strong, Griffin was fired and replaced by Doc Rivers.

Pairing Antetokounmpo with one of the best shooters ever to make a potential dynamic duo was what Milwaukee was hoping for, but their time together will only be remembered as an injured filled tenure.

Antetokounmpo missed the entire first round of the 2024 playoffs with a calf strain, leaving it to Lillard and Middleton to carry the team against the Pacers. Lillard would also battle injuries as he dealt with an achilles injury from suffered in Game 3.

He would miss Games 4 and 5, but would try to play through it in Game 6. The Bucks would lose the series, but hoping that if all three were healthy, they could make some noise next year.

However, Middleton was traded to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma and the trio that many fans were hoping to see healthy was no more.

It was almost the same story in the 2025 playoffs where they would once again play the Pacers in the first round. While Antetokounmpo was good to go, Lillard suffered a torn achilles in Game 4 and the Bucks lost again, but this time in five games.

Lillard never seemed to be comfortable in Milwaukee and it showed. After back-to-back seasons with him missing time due to injury, the Bucks decided to part ways and waive-and-stretch him, which created financial complications in concert with the signing of Myles Turner.

Mar 4, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and guard Damian Lillard (0) react after defeating the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

A disastrous end on a big gamble that has completely reset the Bucks. For the 2025-26 season, Milwaukee finished with a 32-50 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016 while Antetokounmpo only played in 36 games due to injury.

The past few years have been hard to watch for Milwaukee and if Antetokounmpo gets traded and plays for a different team, the ending in will leave a bad taste in some people's mouths wishing there was more.

But for some people, they will never forget the incredible work he did for the city of Milwaukee.

Add us as a preferred source on Google