Milwaukee Bucks of America basketball team star, Giannis Adetokunbo (Antetokounmpo) might have received another reason to put aside all transfer talk this off-season and concentrate of sticking with the club into next year, following some choice birthday gifts handed him by his teammates.
Megasportsarena.com gathered that, despite a rash of media reports and speculation linking Antetokounmpo with a move to either Miami Heat or Los Angeles Lakers this off-season, the Nigerian-born two-time most valuable player in USA’s National Basketball League (NBA) got a lavish birthday bash from his teammates at the weekend.
The in-form star, who plays for the national basketball team of Greece, must have been left thinking how sweet staying in Milwaukee can be, after he got several special birthday presents from his teammates after their first practice session at their pre-2020/21 camp on Sunday.
Two of his pals, Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton gave the back-to-back MVP a set of pens, as if to suggest that he should sign up to a new $27m projection put on the line for him by The Bucks for the new season.
Many observers were left insinuating that it was a smart move by the players to ensure they do not lose the NBA’s best defensive player of the year, who top shots at The Bucks are anxiously hoping will sign a five-year super-max extension and stay in Milwaukee.
At it were, Antetokounmpo, who turned 26 on Sunday, has until December 21 to sign The Bucks’ extension, as he is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after the season ends and, though ‘The Greek Freak’ could still sign the same deal next summer, he appeared to give away his plans when he hinted that he would love to see the team building a contender around him.
Middleton, though, appeared to be staying upbeat about still having his pal around, as he told ESPN: “We definitely sung a ‘Happy Birthday’ after practice. Me and PC thought the perfect gift to him from our teammates is just to give him a pen.
“So there were pens in his locker for his birthday present. I told him those should be some of the best birthday gifts he’s ever gotten, so hopefully he enjoys it and uses it.”
Incidentally, Milwaukee brought on Jrue Holiday in the off-season and had everyone on the roster report to practice on Sunday, and when Antetokounmpo was asked point blank if he would be with The Bucks next year, he said it ‘depends on the decisions they make.’
Antetokounmpo earlier told Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet: “It’s easy, I want to be a winner. I do not care about the money. My family is fine and I can take care of my children and grandchildren so that’s not the most important thing right now, it’s winning. As long as we can win and create a winning culture, it will be good.”
