'I'm F***ing Desperate!' Could Giannis Antetokounmpo Win Title With Spurs, Victor Wembanyama?
July 20, 2021 — Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has tears in his eyes.
He's just capped off a 50-point, 14-rebound game in front of the Milwaukee Bucks' home crowd. Deer Green is visible everywhere in Fiserv Forum, including on the streamers that have begun to dance through the air onto the court — still branded with the obligatory, yet welcomed NBA Finals logo.
As the 26-year-old forward puts on his snapback "Champions" hat, he finds a courtside seat — now empty of the fan who sat there witnessing history not 10 minutes before — and takes it all in.
“Man, that feeling," Giannis told The Athletic nearly two years after winning the title. "That feeling was a great feeling ... [it was] one of the best feelings I’ve had."
Seven years prior, Antetokounmpo was just a rookie from Greece on a team that didn't yet realize just how high his ceiling could be. Now, he's an NBA champion, a multi-year Most Valuable Player and one of the most beloved faces in basketball.
But more importantly, he's itching to be a champion again.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) after a 128-126 loss to the Miami Heat during game five of the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum.
© Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
"Why I’m here is because I’m desperate," the "Greek Freak" said. "I’m f***ing desperate. I’m obsessed. I’m scared to lose what God has gave me ... so I work as hard as I can because I don’t want to lose this s***.
"It’s not gonna stop until I’m out of this league. I do have [my Finals MVP] trophies somewhere, but I try not to look at them because I want to win another one."
Winning "another one" would require tremendous effort from the Bucks on all fronts. Not only would they have to continue to play at a level similar to the way they have been since Giannis began to takeoff, but they'd have to do so with aging second and third options in Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton.
It's not impossible — not by a long shot. Teams with older stars have won titles — take LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers for example — but it is still rare. James, specifically, represents a unique case. One of the main reasons he's considered among the best players of all-time is because of his longevity, putting a 33-year-old Holiday and 32-year-old Middleton under pressure.
The Bucks haven't reached the Eastern Conference Finals since winning the title two seasons ago, and if Milwaukee don't begin to show signs of life this year, Antetokounmpo won't be signing an extension and will see himself out.
"I would not be the best version of myself if I don’t know that everybody’s on the same page," the Bucks star told the New York Times." [I want to see] everybody going for a championship, everybody sacrific[ing] time away from their family like I do. And if I don’t feel that, I’m not signing [an extension].”
Enter Gregg Popovich. Enter Victor Wembanyama. Enter the San Antonio Spurs.
Should Antetokounmpo opt out of next summer's extension window and choose to either become a free agent or demand a trade, there is the beginnings of a short-list of franchises who could be in a prime position to bring on the Greek Freak.
Naturally, big-market teams like the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers are on that list, but there are a few dark horse candidates to be mindful of.
Oklahoma City certainly has the assets and could very well make a move on the 6-11 forward, but does it have the x-factor that San Antonio brings to the table?
Simply put, no.
The Spurs, despite still looking for a way back to the top of the Western Conference, have something more to offer the superstar: a perfect system.
Combining Popovich — a coach with unending experience in coaching not just NBA stars, but NBA big-men — and Victor Wembanyama would seem almost too good to be true for Antetokounmpo if he were to ask out of Milwaukee.
“I think you can’t rule out [teams like the Spurs],” one Western Conference executive told Heavy. “Giannis has always carried himself like he is all about winning ... [and] if that is really the case, then wouldn’t he want to go play for [Gregg Popovich] and play alongside Wembanyama there?"
Bingo. One thing that's set Victor Wembanyama apart from the other rookies in his draft class has been the way he carries himself — and not just from a height standpoint. Wembanyama specifically mentioned wanting to excel at press conferences, which wasn't echoed by another other 19 to 20-year-old prospect.
Pairing a rookie with a mile-high ceiling next to a player who puts his team first makes for a championship recipe, especially if Wembanyama excels on the court like he's expected to. Not only that, but having the French phenom work with arguably the most notorious muscle-gaining player would work wonders for the rookie's physical development.
Last season, Antetokounmpo averaged 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. His well-rounded skillset makes for a massive asset to any NBA franchise he joins, which would also include locker-room leadership.
Popovich has always welcomed foreign talent as well, which only further makes Giannis' fit more sensible. It would just need to translate on the court.
The framework is there. An unhappy superstar on a team that could be trending towards rebuilding following the decline of its big-three mixed with an up-and-coming superstar who's already paired with a Hall-of-Fame coach? It almost works perfectly. That is, if Antetokounmpo himself sees the benefits of joining San Antonio.
Was he thinking about any of this when he sat courtside in an empty chair, looking around Fiserv Forum with tears streaming down his face? Absolutely not.
But maybe he was beginning to after watching the Celtics take Game 7 in the second round of the 2022 Playoffs. Or after Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat stunned Milwaukee in Round One. Just maybe.
This season will be a big one. It could end in another 5-6 years for Giannis and the Bucks, but it could also be the nail in coffin for the Greek Freak's Deer Green jersey.
However it shakes out, San Antonio will still be looking to accomplish the same goal: winning a championship. And if Giannis truly is that desperate, there'd likely be an empty roster spot with his name on it.
In fact, it'd be right next to Wembanyama's.
