How Giannis Antetokounmpo performed even better off the court during NBA Finals
By Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer
Giannis Antetokounmpo had so many legendary moments in the NBA Finals.
But the stunning blocks, alley-oops, 40-point performances and 50-point finale may have been overshadowed by what he revealed off the court.
At a time when most NBA superstars become increasingly tight-lipped and private, Antetokounmpo used the biggest of stages to peel back the layers and show his vulnerability.
And he was damn likable.
Each press conference was a joy to behold, highlighted by the final one. After leading the Bucks to a series-clinching 105-98 win over the Phoenix Suns in Game 6, Antetokounmpo kissed his championship and Finals MVP trophies, telling them not to get jealous of each other.
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But let's start from the beginning of the series and examine the two-week period the entire NBA world got to spend with Antetokounmpo.
It all started during Game 1, when he was questionable until right before tipoff. He had suffered a gruesome hyperextended left knee in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals and missed the final two games of that series.
But after getting treatment around the clock, the swelling went down. Antetokounmpo returned for Game 1 and produced a 20-point, 17-rebound performance in the Bucks' 118-105 loss.
After that game, when asked about his injury, he didn't downplay the fear he initially felt.
"I thought, 'I'm going to be out for the year,'" he said. "I thought, 'I'm gone.'"
The next morning, when Antetokounmpo walked into a room filled with a small number of reporters, he bristled.
"I don't feel good doing this media," he said.
When Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports jokingly asked, "Why don't you like talking to us?" Antetokounmpo revealed that he enjoys one-on-one conversations, such as when he ran into The Athletic's Sam Amick in the hotel lobby after the superstar lost his room key. But he added that the giant TV cameras make him comfortable.
It was endearing and relatable.
The following day, the Bucks lost Game 2, 118-108, despite Antetokounmpo's 42-point, 12-rebound performance. Afterward, with the Bucks in a 2-0 hole, the exasperation poured out of him. It was palpable. He didn't try to play it cool or spout the typical clichés and platitudes.
Instead, he let us in on his angst.
He acknowledged the immense pressure he felt. He talked about the need to play with more energy and physicality and said he hoped his team could turn things around. Actually, he said it repeatedly, "not just for the media, but for myself to hear it." He tried to will things into existence in front of about 15 witnesses, giving us a window into his psychology.
His tactic worked.
The Bucks won Game 3, 120-100, behind Antetokounmpo's 41-point, 13-rebound performance. He became the second player in NBA Finals history to have consecutive 40-point, 10-rebound performances, following Shaquille O'Neal.
The following day at practice, Antetokounmpo was as candid as ever.
When asked about "The Giannis Wall," he acknowledged that he hates it, but added it taught him how to trust his teammates.
When asked about Monty Williams commenting on him getting sent to the free-throw line more than the entire Suns team, he joked that Phoenix's physical play was "making my pretty face ugly."
And when the two-time MVP was asked if he still thinks he can improve his game, he went into specifics, talking about his weaknesses — in the middle of the NBA Finals.
He wants to improve his free-throw shooting. He wants to hone his mental strength, so if he's missing shots he won't get discouraged. He wants to work on his 3-point shot and his 15-foot jumper.
"Sometimes you got to be OK with playing with your weaknesses a little bit," he said, exposing himself at a time when opponents will use anything against you.
It was brave. It was unusual.
On July 14, the Bucks won Game 4, 109-103, and Antetokounmpo had the play of the night. It happened with 1:14 left when he soared through the air and blocked a shot by Deandre Ayton that would've tied the game.
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That play immediately went viral, instantaneously turning into a legendary NBA Finals moment. After the block, Antetokounmpo flexed and stared down the crowd, later explaining that it was important to him to just enjoy that moment.
But his press conference that evening was usurped by a moment of levity when he was asked why he left the bench in the first quarter and disappeared for a while, something that perplexed and concerned reporters. Was he dealing with knee soreness?
Antetokounmpo dismissed any rumors in the most charming of ways.
"How do you guys say politely?" he asked. "I wanted to take a tinkle. A tinkle. I wanted to take a tinkle and came back. That's polite, right?"
Laughter filled the room.
At the Bucks' next practice in Phoenix, Antetokounmpo was asked if he had reflected on his incredible block that had been the talk of the sports world.
"That's in the past," he said. "When you talk about the past, that's your ego talking."
A 26-year-old NBA superstar worried about his ego? That's not something you hear often. A reporter asked him to elaborate.
His response was incredible.
He spent much of that press conference philosophizing about how he never stops and appreciates his past accomplishments because "usually, the next day, you're going to suck." He added that he similarly avoids thinking about what's he's going to accomplish in the future, calling that "pride."
"I kind of try to focus on the moment, in the present," he said. "That's humility. That's being humble. That's not setting no expectation. That's going out there, enjoying the game, competing at a high level."
Following his own advice, Antetokounmpo had another game-defining play in the Bucks' 123-119 win in Game 5. With 16.7 seconds left and the Bucks up by one point, Jrue Holiday stripped the ball from Devin Booker and threw a lob pass to Antetokounmpo, who completed the two-handed jam.
But his magnum opus came in Game 6, when he had 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots in one of the most dominant Finals performances of all time.
After the Bucks' win, he sat by himself for a few moments, with tears streaming down his face. He passed out cigars to each of his teammates. He walked into the postgame press conference cradling both trophies and then pretended to shoot free throws while Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer spoke to reporters.
Then he opened up more than he had all series, reflecting on how much he had overcome to get to this level. He and his brothers were raised on the streets of Athens, Greece, by parents of Nigerian descent who struggled to make ends meet as immigrants.
"Eight and a half years ago, when I came to the league, I didn't know where my next meal will come from," Antetokounmpo said. "My mom was selling stuff in the street. Now I'm here sitting at the top of the top. I'm extremely blessed. I'm extremely blessed. If I never have a chance to sit on this table ever again, I'm fine with it. I hope this can give everybody around the world hope. I want them to believe in their dreams."
It's the ultimate rags-to-riches story, made even more powerful by the superstar's willingness to be vulnerable instead of feeling as though he has to project an air of superiority.
Antetokounmpo was refreshingly humble, human and open throughout the Finals. In a league driven by self-aggrandizing personalities, he shined bright, making his star grow even larger.
And he capped off his championship run in the most relatable way possible.
After a night of celebration, he posted an Instagram Live story at a Chick-fil-A drive-thru after politely asking the woman who worked there if he could film her.
It was just so normal.
But then his order reminded everyone of just how abnormal he is — he requested 50 chicken nuggets.
Each one represented a point he scored in Game 6, the ultimate reminder that Giannis Antetokounmpo is as rare as they come.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She has previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.
