Milwaukee Bucks perennial All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo would rather forget about this season.
But first, the two-time NBA MVP reflected on it with a message to Milwaukee.
“Year 13 [green checkmark emoji, open book emoji],” Antetokounmpo posted on X on Monday. “This has been one of the toughest seasons of my career, but as they say, like a phoenix from the ashes, I’ll rise. [100 emoji]. To the city of Milwaukee, MY city, thank you for your unwavering love and support.”
Antetokounmpo was limited to a career-low 36 games this season.
He missed 15 games with a calf strain, then suffered a hyperextended knee and a bone bruise shortly after returning in March, which, controversially, kept him out for the rest of the season. The NBA opened an investigation into the Bucks’ handling of Antetokounmpo’s health earlier this month.
No NBA player has more trade rumors swirling around him than Antetokounmpo. While he has not formally requested a trade, the expectation in league circles is for Antetokounmpo to depart Milwaukee this summer.
The Bucks finished 32-50 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Milwaukee parted ways with head coach Doc Rivers last week. Rivers appeared on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” last week and shared his perspective on Antetokounmpo’s future.
“I think leaving is very difficult for him, so you may be right — maybe he wants to leave [but] doesn’t want to say,” Rivers said. “I don’t even know the answer to that. I just know it’s not as cut and dry as people try to make it out to be, and it’s not as easy of a situation as people think it is.”
The Bucks drafted Antetokounmpo 15th overall in 2013, and he’s played his entire career with the team, leading them to their first championship in 50 years in 2021.