New Bucks HC Mike Budenholzer on Giannis Antetokounmpo: 'He Wants to Be Great'

Mike Budenholzer is envisioning a prosperous partnership with Giannis Antetokounmpo after agreeing to a four-year deal to become the Milwaukee Bucks' new head coach last week. 

"I think Giannis is built in a way where all he cares about is winning," Budenholzer told 540 ESPN on Tuesday. "He wants to be great, and he wants those around him to be great. We'll have great success if I can help him do that."

A two-time All-Star, Antetokounmpo raised his game throughout the 2017-18 season even though the Bucks were engulfed by organizational turmoil following coach Jason Kidd's midseason ouster. 

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Appearing in 75 games, Antetokounmpo averaged 26.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per contest. According to Basketball Reference, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1975-76), Larry Bird (1984-85), Charles Barkley (1990-91), David Robinson (1993-94) and Russell Westbrook (2016-17) are the only other players in league history to average at least 26 points, 10 boards, 4.0 dimes and 1.5 steals a night. 

In other words, greatness is already coursing through Antetokounmpo's veins. 

"It was miserable coaching against him, and I'm so happy to be [saying], '34's on my team?'" Budenholzer said Monday at his introductory press conference, per the Associated Press' Genaro C. Armas. "He's a nightmare to coach against, to game-plan, to figure out how you can keep him away from the basket."

Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, sounds ready to kick off a new era in Milwaukee as the Bucks continue to eye their first playoff series win since 2001. 

"He's a great coach. He was the Coach of the Year in the 2015-2016 season," he told ESPN at last week's draft combine in Chicago. "We had a great conversation [before Budenholzer was hired and] talked about the game plan. How he views me as a player, how he can help this team. I had a lot of tough questions for him. But it was fun. I'm excited to play for him."