Bucks HC Adrian Griffin Talks Giannis Antetokounmpo Relationship amid Contract Buzz

New Milwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin feels like he and star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo are on the same wavelength.

The new coach is set to be Antetokounmpo's fifth head coach and joins a team that is in win-now mode. This is pushed even further given Antetokounmpo's non-committal attitude towards an extension with the team, as he desires to win another championship and wants to be sure the team feels the same way.

Griffin's take on the situation is that he and Antetokounmpo are closely aligned in this regard.

"Giannis and I are on the same page," Griffin said, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. "We have a great relationship thus far. He's been pleasant to get to know and he wants to win and I want to win and it's that simple. So, I respect him, and I respect what he's accomplished in this league, and we're here together to win, so I have no problem with that. It's a great partnership, and we're going to lead the team together. Where he leads, the others will follow. So, I think it's great."

When asked if Antetokounmpo's comments add significant pressure ahead of his first season, Griffin reiterated that he feels the same way and welcomes expectations.

"Absolutely not," Griffin said, per Nehm. "Like I said, we're aligned. We're here to win. And the one thing I've talked to our team and my staff about is embracing expectations. We have a really good roster. Instead of running from it, we want to embrace it.

It's not a stretch at all to say the Bucks are primed to contend. The team earned the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed in 2022-23 with a 58-24 record and are just two seasons removed from an NBA Championship.

The regular season excellence was met with playoff futility in 2022-23 as the eighth-seeded Miami Heat took down the Bucks in five games en route to an NBA Finals appearance. Antetokounmpo missed two games in the series, but this loss, combined with struggles against conference foe Boston Celtics in recent years, show that the team needs to pick it up to contend for another title.

With Antetokounmpo in the fold, however, the team should always be in the mix. He averaged 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 63 games in 22-23 and is a seven-time All-Star and two-time MVP.

Griffin's confidence bodes well for Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee. But, of course, actions speak louder than words. The first look at a new era for the Bucks will come October 26 when the team hosts the Philadelphia 76ers.