Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t consider Bucks’ first-round elimination a failure: ‘It’s steps to success’

As the Bucks suffered an early exit from the NBA Playoffs at the hands of the Heat this Wednesday, Giannis Antetokounmpo still defended his team’s performance all season long even though they weren’t able to stop the No.8 seed led by Jimmy Butler.

After losing 4-1 in the first-round series of this current postseason, “The Greek Freak” was asked if he considered this season as a failure considering they were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference after finishing the year with the best record in the NBA.

Does this first round exit to the 8-seed Heat hurt Giannis Antetokounmpo’s legacy? pic.twitter.com/xs6hG9nqOq

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 27, 2023

Antetokoumpo gave a raw, yet refreshing answer, splitting the fan base in two, as most consider this to be one of the biggest upsets in league history.

“You asked me the same question last year, I think,” Giannis started off. “Do you get a promotion every year? No, right? So, every year you work is a failure? Yes or no? No. Every year you work, you work toward something – to a goal – which is to get a promotion, to be able to take care of your family, to be able to provide a house for them or take care of your parents. You work toward a goal. It’s not a failure. It’s steps to success.”

He then gave an example that included the player who is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time. “Michael Jordan played 15 years. Won six championships. The other nine years was a failure?, he asked. “Exactly, so why you ask me that question. It’s the wrong question.”

To Antetokounmpo, there’s no failure in sports. “There’s good days, bad days, some days you are able to be successful, some days you are not, some days it is your turn, some days it’s not. That’s what sports is about. You don’t always win. Some other group is gonna win and this year someone else is gonna win. Simple as that. We’re gonna come back next year and try to be better, try to build good habits, try to play better.

“So, 50 years from 1971 to 2021 we didn’t win a championship, it was 50 years of failure? No it was not. There were steps to it. And we were able to win one and hopefully we can win another one.”

Even though he missed a couple of games of the series due to injuries, the foward guided Milwaukee with 38 points, 20 rebounds and three assists last night, but simply couldn’t reverse his team’s loss.

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal respects his answer, but disagrees

Even though a great part of the fan base found great value in Giannis’ answer, ESPN analyst and former basketball star Shaquille O’Neal respectfully disagrees.

“I think the same as everybody else, when I didn’t win I was very hard on myself,” he assured. “You know, like, he missed a lot of free throws. We talked about that before we talked about how his team’s shots. So he as a great player, we expect him to win and if he doesn’t win, in my mind it is a failure.”

“I played 19 seasons, and I failed 15 seasons,” the former Orland and Lakers star said. “When I didn’t win, it was a failure. Especially when I made it to the Finals for the fourth time with the Lakers, it was defintely a failure. So I can’t tell everybody what to think but I watched guys before me, the ‘Birds’, the ‘Kareem’, and that’s how they thought so that’s how I was raised.

“He’s not a failure as a player, but is it a failure as a season? I would say yes. But also I can understand and respect his explanation, but for me, when we didn’t win, it was always my fault.”