Giannis: “I want to make art for my kids, even if they tell me they prefer Scooby Doo to my highlights”

Giannis Antetokounmpo was delightful in the Bucks’ win over the Pelicans (135-110) and scored a career fifth 50 with his teammates booing to take him out.

After the match, the “Greek Freak” seemed to work up an appetite. So he spoke to the media for 14 minutes and said a few nice lines, including saying that he wants to make art, even though in a few years his kids will find his highlights boring and would rather watch Scooby Doo.

Giannis explained in detail:

For being aggressive towards the basket: “I wanted to be aggressive, create phases. It was my 3rd, 4th game back after being eliminated with knee problems. I’m just trying to phase. Sometimes that works, sometimes not. It happened this time.”

For also scoring several points by shooting and not going to the basket: “I felt good. When you see the ball going in. I think there’s a level I’m trying to reach. Today was a step in that direction. But you can never get comfortable. Sure if Hitting those shots makes the game easier, I know I’m capable of it, but I have to keep working to help my team.

I need to improve my defence, create more three-pointers for my teammates. I have many things to work on. But when I do the shots, the work afterwards is easier, I find a rhythm and I score by avoiding touching.”

If he knew when he hit 50 points: “I will not lie. I knew when I got the rebound I knew I had 47 points and I was going to do a 3 pointer to get to 50 points. I didn’t hesitate at all, I got my feet right, I shot and I saw the ball go in. These are moments that you shouldn’t take for granted because you don’t know if you’ll experience a moment like that again. I’m glad I created art.

We have another game in Charlotte on Tuesday. Last time we played opponents, they kicked our butts. We have to be ready and play good basketball because they are a good team. What happened today belongs to the past.

It’s nice that we’ve scored a lot of goals in the last few games, but we have to play better in defence. To be better we need to play better defense. We’re in a good place, the team is playing well, with confidence, Middleton is back, Holliday is aggressive, Lopez is cutting shots, shooters are making shots. I hope we continue to build good habits and end up playing our best basketball. But we have a game against a strong team that lost us 30-40 points a few weeks ago and they’re coming to Milwaukee so we have to be ready.”

Why he’s had better percentages since coming back from injury: “I only work. There are days I hit and days I miss. But I have to get these recordings. When I get these shots, I think I’m working towards something. There were games where I wasn’t getting as many 3-pointers as I wanted, or shots from middle range, or wasn’t aggressive. But the team wants me to be aggressive and I try to do that. Some days I go to the basket, some days I go to the shot, some days I shoot, some days I fade. But the team needs me to be aggressive. So I don’t focus on how capable I am, but rely on my strengths.”

How he balances living in the moment and not taking the 50s for granted and focusing on the next game: “I want to get the best out of myself and sometimes it’s exhausting. But I am. I’m obsessed with the game and I feel like if I stay in the game where we won by 25 points and I got 50 points – which is great – the next game won’t be as good. We must not dwell in the past. I have to stay humble, take care of my body and be ready to play with the Hornets in 48 hours. I don’t think about the future, I put the past behind me, I live in the now and do everything I can to be prepared for the future.”

About what makes him feel different in the “art” he’s creating this year: “I don’t want to stop. It’s easy to get comfortable. But I like being uncomfortable. Having pressure to put things behind and focus on what I want more. I have this mentality because I think great players have this mentality. I wasn’t always like that, that has changed in the last 2.5 years. Whatever happens, good or bad, I put it behind me and focus on what’s next.

Michael Jordan won a championship, then a second, a third, retired, came back and won more and more and more. It’s easy to be complacent, and he wasn’t. For me that is an advantage. You’re talking about LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry. Anyone could be satisfied with a championship or two. But they could do it again. This is a qualification. To get to the next level you have to make a choice and that’s how I work. Good or bad, I put it behind me and focus on the next thing I can improve on. Another step to be great in whatever lies ahead.

I’m trying to create art, and when I’m 38, 40 and retired, I can sit with my kids and say, “Here I scored 50, here I scored 7, here I did this, that.” … They could tell me I’m boring and they don’t want to see my highlights, that they’ve heard a lot about me and just want to see Scooby Doo.

I will continue to create as players have done before me. Like I can see highlights from Magic Johnson, Garnett, Kobe, Iverson, Durant, LeBron and Tim Duncan. They have created so much art and we can see it. I hope that I can also create art for my children when they play basketball, which I hope, but also for many people. people who want to see my games”.

He thinks that’s what Middleton did with his return to the Bucks: “It makes the game easier. He is a threat, he can score in every way. Today he did it, which is incredible. He creates phases, he can find Holindey, Lopez, shoot. Being on the ground is a luxury. You never forget how easy it is to play with him on the floor. He’s starting to find a rhythm and will gradually play more. We can score just because he’s on the ground. It’s easier for me to score points, it makes my life easier. I can’t wait for him to reach 100% and do what he does. Money be Middleton”.

On how much he believes his absence and Middleton’s has helped his teammates improve by playing more: “It definitely needs all the players to come forward when that happens. I think that brings out the best in them. Connaughton bats, Allen loads the bases, Carter is the same, Holliday plays on a different level when we’re out. He was player of the week once, he was super aggressive. Portis consistently doubled. Noora gave us money. Then you realize how full the team is and how much talent they have. It’s nice when we stay out there and some guys stand up and give us a chance to get wins.”