B/R NBA Staff Roundtable: Is Giannis Antetokounmpo Actually Disrespected?
Just a couple weeks into Giannis Antetokounmpo's 2023 offseason, and he's already generating headlines with somewhat mysterious tweets.
On Tuesday, shortly after the league revealed the 2022-23 All-Defensive teams—which notably included fellow Milwaukee Bucks Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez, but not Giannis—he took to Twitter.
It seems fairly obvious that the announcement and accompanying snub were the primary motivations for the tweet itself. But saying you're tired of something implies that it didn't just start.
Apparently, Giannis has felt disrespected for some time.
Is there any merit to his claim? Or is this a case of one of the best players in the world needing to conjure up some enemies to take down?
Bleacher Report's NBA staff explores below.
Looking for Motivation?
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The answer to the headline's question is "no." It might even be a resounding "no."
All season, and really since he won a championship in 2021, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been widely (almost universally) regarded as the world's best basketball player. It almost felt like some in the media felt obligated to mention it as an aside before launching into whatever analysis they had.
And that was despite the fact that most catch-all metrics from around the internet didn't see his 2022-23 campaign as anywhere near the best in the league.
This season, he posted his lowest true shooting percentage since 2017-18 (while the league's average keeps rising). He was under one block and one steal per game for the first time since his rookie year. And teams being able to gameplan around his inability to consistently score outside the paint, particularly in the playoffs, looks like it could be a problem going forward.
That was part of why the Milwaukee Bucks suffered a historic upset as the East's top seed in the first round. And the heat from that loss dissipated within days.
But honestly, we shouldn't be surprised if this is how Giannis feels. Top-tier athletes are often looking for sources of motivation, even if they have to manufacture them. And Giannis has already taken down most or all of his real foes.
Is Giannis Actually Getting a Pass?
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I think we could file Giannis' assertion that he's disrespected under a couple of headings.
The first is marketing. Go back to April 2, and there's Giannis flexing under a caption that reads, "I love the doubt." Call me a cynic, but it's pretty clear from the rest of his socials that branding is important, and the "nobody believes in us/me" angles tend to play well.
This latest entry, perhaps a response by Giannis and the people in charge of running his socials to an All-Defensive snub, feels on-brand.
The other option: Giannis, like so many of the greats, sustains himself on a diet of proving doubters wrong. Michael Jordan invented detractors when none existed, and there's a rich history of subsequent stars pulling from that playbook.
Whatever the motivation behind it—marketing or Jordan-esque invention of naysayers—Giannis' position doesn't really square with reality.
In the wake of the Milwaukee Bucks' first-round upset, we attached more blame to head coach Mike Budenholzer than Antetokounmpo. Giannis got something of a pass, but 10-of-23 from the foul line in an elimination game is still 10-of-23 from the foul line in an elimination game. We've criticized players for much less in the past.
Antetokounmpo is more engaging, thoughtful and frank in his conversations with the media than almost any other superstar. And his work ethic remains unquestioned. He seems to very much be about the right things, and he's got a ring. Never forget that part.
Put all that together, and it's probably why he has been more respected than most players would be after such an ugly playoff ouster.
Interesting Timing...
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Giannis' sense of disrespect is totally innocuous. It takes an astounding amount of drive and self-belief to make it at this level, and he's the near-consensus best player in the NBA. His disdain for missing the All-Defensive cut is understandable, particularly when his blend of dominance and versatility on that end ranks among his loudest calling cards.
Still, this endeavor is not that personal. Putting Giannis on an All-Defensive team is entirely logical. (I had him on my fake ballot.) But the field of candidates is deep and teeming with correct—or at least not incorrect—answers.
Anyone claiming snubbery, either for themselves or on behalf of someone else, should be obligated to detail why and, most critically, identify who they should replace.
Is Giannis implying that he should have made it over Jaren Jackson Jr., the Defensive Player of the Year and the only frontcourt player on the list who logged fewer minutes than him? Is he inferring that he's the driving force of Milwaukee's defense and, therefore, should've received the nod over Brook Lopez, his teammate and runner-up for DPOY? Is he saying one of Evan Mobley, O.G. Anunoby, Draymond Green or Bam Adebayo just flat-out didn't deserve their selection?
Ascribing intent to Giannis' tweet is unfair. It was probably more of an at-large conveyance of self-worth. And that's fine! But assertions of disrespect require substance to be properly litigated, let alone validated. This one doesn't have any.
And, frankly, the timing of this is pretty hysterical. Giannis was just almost universally celebrated for refusing to call the Bucks' season a failure or letdown after a first-round exit—even though this non-failure ended up costing head coach Mike Budenholzer his job.
This isn't proof that Giannis is wrong. Everyone has an opinion; he's entitled to his own. And his answer was incredibly cogent for an off-the-cuff response. But if the implication here is that he's disrespected at a more macro level, he's running out of legs to stand on.
Other NBA Stars Know Real Disrespect
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Giannis Antetokounmpo, unlike others who have made a case as the NBA's best player, doesn't want to be the face of the league.
He's openly admitted as much. This is fine, although staying out of the brightest of spotlights has its pros and cons.
On the positive side, a player like LeBron James would have been roasted for months had he lost as a No. 1 seed in the first round, like Antetokounmpo's Bucks just did. While a back injury sidelined him for nearly three whole games, Milwaukee still went 1-1 when Antetokounmpo was out and 0-3 in games where he suited up.
A miserable 10-23 performance from the free-throw line in a two-point loss in Game 5 would normally haunt a player of Antetokounmpo's caliber, though it seems like most NBA fans have already forgotten about it and moved on to the rest of the postseason.
The downside to this is what Antetokounmpo has perceived as disrespect.
A third-place finish in regular-season MVP and never truly in the conversation to win it despite being the best player on the best team while putting up 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists does seem a bit strange. Not making an All-Defensive team after being named Defensive Player of the Year just three seasons ago and still playing at a high level is probably frustrating as well.
If Antetokounmpo craved and sought the spotlight more, he likely would get more votes for these awards, whether fair or not. He'd also be far more heavily scrutinized like we've seen with players like James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and others who seemed more receptive to stardom in general.
This is a double-edged sword. Antetokounmpo is perhaps a reliable jumper away from being the undisputed best player in the world.
The question is, does he really want to be?
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