Picture Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

“I try not to think about the money” – Giannis Antetokounmpo stays focused on team goals over $500K NBA Cup prize

Giannis Antetokounmpo feels the NBA Cup trophy is a motivating factor for him and he wants to leave a legacy for his kids.

Picture Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo will be in action for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Cup final on Tuesday. Ahead of the crucial game, the 30-year-old acknowledged that while the NBA Cup cash prize might motivate some players, it is not a driving factor for him. The ‘Greek Freak’ is focused on to win the NBA Cup trophy for the Bucks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo says he isn’t thinking about the $500,000 he would get from winning the NBA Cup, but he is thinking about how it impacts the young players and staff with the team: pic.twitter.com/kFLaOYpQ42
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) December 16, 2024

Giannis Antetokounmpo feels the NBA Cup title is itself a motivating factor for him and he wants to leave a legacy for his kids. The two-time MVP said, “It’s life-changing money, okay. Obviously $500,000, you can put a down payment on a house… Personally, I try not to think about the money. For the game, I love playing basketball…”

“[It’s] creating more moments that I can remember. Creating more legacy for myself or something that my kids can look back to and say, ‘Damn, my dad was a bad motherf*cker when he used to play”, he continued.

Milwaukee Bucks, who started the season with a 2-8 record, made a superb comeback to reach the highs in the league. The Bucks are just one win away from winning the NBA Cup title for the first time as they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the finals.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo has been terrific for the Bucks this NBA Cup season, averaging 31.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 69.9% from the field and 66.1% from the free-throw line. Giannis scored more than 30 points In both knockout games which shows how Milwaukee relies on him in important games.

“I go out there, try to compete, play at a high level and strive for continuous improvement. I believe that if you approach the game with that mindset, milestones like reaching the NBA Cup final or winning the championship will naturally fall into place,” added Antetokounmpo.

If Milwaukee Bucks do win the NBA Cup, Antetokounmpo will join LeBron James in an elite club to win an NBA Cup title, two league MVPs, and NBA Finals MVP awards. “LeBron kind of set the path for us, set the blueprint for us. We’ve just got to follow,” said the 8-time NBA All-Star.

Milwaukee Bucks are highly motivated with their 6-0 run in the NBA Cup. The 2021 NBA Champions would aim to win the NBA Cup trophy after a heartbreaking semi-final loss to the Indiana Pacers in last year’s inaugural tournament.

The Milwaukee Bucks will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup Final tomorrow night in Las Vegas, at 8:30 PM ET.

Image Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks

NBA Cup

NBA Cup knockout stage

Oklahoma City Thunder

Gulshan Sharma

nba

soccer

wnba

A native of Jaipur, Rajasthan, journalist, and a complete soccer and basketball fan, he found the huge interest with basketball by watching videos of Allen Iverson and Tony Parker, but fell head over heels in love with the sport during the Warriors’ championship era (2015-2018). A sports game addict since his late PS1, he’s also passionate about the Eagles, Inter Miami and the Fever. He’s fortunate to have seen all his favorite teams win championships. He also has a special love for cricket and football (soccer), where he is a fan of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Barcelona.