NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo clears the air on his future

Antetokounmpo sets the record straight on trade rumors

Giannis Antetokounmpo did what superstars rarely do in a media storm: he grabbed the narrative back. On Thursday, facing microphones, he put things right. Since the start of the month rumors have swelled about a secret chat between his agent, Alex Saratsis, and the Bucks over his future in Milwaukee. Too loud to ignore.

« Si mon agent parle aux Bucks à ce sujet, c’est son affaire », glisse Antetokounmpo, d’un ton qui tranche avec le brouhaha ambiant. « Je ne travaille pas pour mon agent, c’est lui qui travaille pour moi. » Le message est clair : Giannis ne veut pas être enfermé dans une narration qu’il ne maîtrise pas. Oui, des conversations peuvent avoir lieu. Oui, le monde NBA bruisse de coups de fil, de stratégies, de coups de poker. Mais lui, personnellement, dit n’avoir rien évoqué avec la franchise pour l’instant. Et rien que cette nuance suffit à relancer le débat.

Dans une ligue obsédée par les mouvements de stars, la moindre formulation alimente la spéculation. Pourtant, le double MVP refuse de nourrir l’idée d’une fuite imminente. Le transfert ? C’est de la fiction, pour l’instant.

Back in the spotlight

It was his first public word since the calf injury on December 3. Three weeks of silence. Frustration. Stares from the bench. The exact kind of vacuum where rumors breed.

Asked about his absence, Antetokounmpo didn’t dodge. “I’m focused on my teammates and my recovery,” he repeats like a mantra. The Greek Freak doesn’t want to be the story. He wants to come back and write the next chapter.

From the sideline he’s turned evaluator, mentor, remote captain. “How can I help them? Encourage them to play freely. Because at the end of the day, it affects them too,” he says. His voice is steady. But there’s worry under it. Injuries, losses, gossip… it all weighs on a young, tired, shaken locker room.

His job now is to keep the building standing. Be present, even without playing. Lead, even without the ball.

Rumors persist

The questions don’t stop. Giannis knows it. “Do I hope it stops? Of course. Do I think it will stop? No.” Not while Milwaukee’s losing. Not while stated ambitions turn into doubts. Not while rival teams smell an opening.

Antetokounmpo plays it straight. He gets the business. He knows opposing executives will keep calling while things stay unstable. “If I were on the other side, I’d probably do the same,” he admits. No fake outrage. No PR performance. Just the blunt take of a man who knows the game inside out.

Buried in that line is a warning. As long as Milwaukee doesn’t answer on the court, phones will keep buzzing. Winning will silence noise.

Giannis says he’s the ‘hottest chick in the game right now’, due to all the trade rumors:

“This is the most I’ve been ever talked about in my career. I’m in my house with my kids and I’m opening the TV and it’s like, ‘Oh, Giannis is going to the Memphis Grizzlies!’ Or, ‘Giannis… pic.twitter.com/b7OoJtUThv

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 19, 2025

Milwaukee in trouble

The record is brutal: 11 wins, 17 losses. Twelfth place. Painful for a team built to chase a title. The Bucks don’t look like a mission-driven outfit. They look like a group hunting an identity. Sans leur leader, it’s glaring.

Giannis, off the court and in plain clothes, is trying to jolt them. “There needs to be a sense of urgency. Guys, this is serious,” he bangs out. It sounds like a last alarm. Who do they want to be? A team in transition, or contenders who refuse to sink?

Time, he says, still exists. But in an NBA where windows shut fast, patience wears thin. Giannis’ future hangs like a countdown. For now, he’s not feeding the rumor mill. He’s shining a light on it. And he’s put the ball back in the franchise’s court.

Milwaukee knows what’s left to do: win, convince, reassure. Because while the Bucks wobble, talk of a departure won’t die. And Giannis knows that better than anyone.

Crédit photo : Patrick McDermott / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA