Giannis Antetokounmpo reiterates championship focus, leaves future with Milwaukee Bucks open
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Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, that winning a second NBA championship remains his top priority and acknowledged he considered whether that goal might be better achieved in Milwaukee or elsewhere during the offseason.
“I want to be on a team that gives me a chance to win a championship,” the 30-year-old forward said during a video call from Greece, where he is isolating after testing positive for COVID-19. “It’s a disservice to basketball not to want to compete at a high level.”
Open-minded about location
Antetokounmpo confirmed earlier reporting by ESPN’s Shams Charania that he was “open-minded” this summer about exploring potential long-term fits beyond Milwaukee. The Bucks have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, and he has not advanced past that stage since 2022.
“I had the same thoughts last year, two years ago, five years ago,” he said. “I want to compete with the best and win another championship.”
Optimism about revamped roster
Despite the recent postseason exits, Antetokounmpo voiced enthusiasm for Milwaukee’s retooled lineup, highlighting the arrival of center Myles Turner and a younger, more athletic supporting cast. “I think it’s a great team. It’s a sleeper. We are very, very dangerous,” he said.
General manager Jon Horst expressed confidence that the roster is designed to “maximize Giannis,” while managing governor Wes Edens said Antetokounmpo “made it clear” in a June conversation that he was committed to the franchise. Antetokounmpo later told reporters he did not recall that discussion but reiterated faith in his teammates and the organization’s moves.
EuroBasket bronze with Greece
Earlier this month, Antetokounmpo helped Team Greece secure a bronze medal at the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 tournament—an achievement he called “the greatest basketball accomplishment” of his life. In the third-place game on Sept. 14, he tallied 30 points on 9-of-11 shooting, 17 rebounds, six assists and two blocks while playing alongside his brothers.
Waiting to rejoin Bucks camp
While the Bucks opened training camp in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo remained in Greece. “We don’t think it’s safe for him to be around our team,” Horst said, adding that the two-time MVP will return once cleared.
Looking ahead, Antetokounmpo said the path is straightforward: “Put our heads down, stay locked in all year, win games, get in the playoffs and don’t get eliminated in the first round. Then we go from there.”
Source: ESPN
