To hear Antetokounmpo tell it, Spanoulis’ combination of off-the-charts energy and high IQ is the kind of thing he’ll be taking with him into these crucial months ahead. “Spanoulis has changed the way I think about things,” said Antetokounmpo, whose team went 1-3 in pool play and had the program’s first win at the Olympics in 16 years (over Australia). “My approach to the game. My love for the game. Sometimes, I think, you’re in your comfort zone. A lot of people are in a comfort zone, without even wanting to be there. You have to push. You have to demand from yourself, from the people around you. And he did that.”
Source: New York Times
Source: New York Times
What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Tune into The Starting Lineup with @TheFrankIsola & @Scalabrine!
🗽 Sabrina Ionescu’s Game Winner
🦌 Giannis’ Comments
🎙️ @Grant2Will at 9:00am ET
📻 Listen Live: sxm.app.link/nbaradiolive
📱 Call the Show: 855-NBA-JUMP (855-622-5867) pic.x.com/r4jYMBtQWg – 7:02 AM
Tune into The Starting Lineup with @TheFrankIsola & @Scalabrine!
🗽 Sabrina Ionescu’s Game Winner
🦌 Giannis’ Comments
🎙️ @Grant2Will at 9:00am ET
📻 Listen Live: sxm.app.link/nbaradiolive
📱 Call the Show: 855-NBA-JUMP (855-622-5867) pic.x.com/r4jYMBtQWg – 7:02 AM

Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Giannis Antetokounmpo recalled a challenging conversation he had in the summer with Vassilis Spanoulis 🇬🇷
“When I was 29, I was the best in Europe. I had back-to-back [EuroLeague championships]. What are you doing?”, Greece’s head coach motivated him:
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/17… – 6:11 AM
Giannis Antetokounmpo recalled a challenging conversation he had in the summer with Vassilis Spanoulis 🇬🇷
“When I was 29, I was the best in Europe. I had back-to-back [EuroLeague championships]. What are you doing?”, Greece’s head coach motivated him:
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/17… – 6:11 AM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Giannis Antetokounmpo: If we don’t win a championship, I might get traded sportando.basketball/en/giannis-ant… – 2:16 AM
Giannis Antetokounmpo: If we don’t win a championship, I might get traded sportando.basketball/en/giannis-ant… – 2:16 AM

Sam Amick @sam_amick
I spent two days at Bucks camp in Southern California chatting with their three most important figures. And pressure aside, this much is clear: Giannis, Dame and Doc all genuinely believe – for different, fascinating reasons – that they’ll be much better this time around.
The – 12:20 PM
I spent two days at Bucks camp in Southern California chatting with their three most important figures. And pressure aside, this much is clear: Giannis, Dame and Doc all genuinely believe – for different, fascinating reasons – that they’ll be much better this time around.
The – 12:20 PM

Sam Amick @sam_amick
A candid, comedic conversation with Giannis Antetokounmpo about what might happen in Milwaukee if this high-stakes season doesn’t go well. The Bucks’ plan – from Giannis to Dame, Doc on down – is to never find out.
Much more here, at @TheAthletic
nytimes.com/athletic/58374… – 11:36 AM
A candid, comedic conversation with Giannis Antetokounmpo about what might happen in Milwaukee if this high-stakes season doesn’t go well. The Bucks’ plan – from Giannis to Dame, Doc on down – is to never find out.
Much more here, at @TheAthletic
nytimes.com/athletic/58374… – 11:36 AM

Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
A father’s lesson, pandemic-induced insecurity and maturity: How the business #Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers created will build legacies beyond basketball
📝
jsonline.com/story/money/bu… via @journalsentinel – 10:44 AM
A father’s lesson, pandemic-induced insecurity and maturity: How the business #Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers created will build legacies beyond basketball
📝
jsonline.com/story/money/bu… via @journalsentinel – 10:44 AM

Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
The Bucks are built around Giannis. The 76ers are built around Embiid. The Knicks are built solely around Jalen Brunson.
Is that a recipe for June? Or are the Knicks deep enough?
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goo…
open.spotify.com/show/1x4wPhSQD… pic.x.com/ZMBvDKhcNO – 12:47 PM
The Bucks are built around Giannis. The 76ers are built around Embiid. The Knicks are built solely around Jalen Brunson.
Is that a recipe for June? Or are the Knicks deep enough?
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goo…
open.spotify.com/show/1x4wPhSQD… pic.x.com/ZMBvDKhcNO – 12:47 PM

Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
ICYMI: 1-on-1 with Khris Middleton
– Individual goals for this season
– Fighting the “injury prone” label
– Working together with Giannis and Dame
“Whatever it takes to win. To me, that’s a great season.” – Middleton
Our conversation, at @TheAthletic: nytimes.com/athletic/58369… – 12:17 PM
ICYMI: 1-on-1 with Khris Middleton
– Individual goals for this season
– Fighting the “injury prone” label
– Working together with Giannis and Dame
“Whatever it takes to win. To me, that’s a great season.” – Middleton
Our conversation, at @TheAthletic: nytimes.com/athletic/58369… – 12:17 PM

Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
“I just think of it as another player” – Matas Buzelis after matching up with Giannis Antetokounmpo in a preseason loss
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/17… – 2:16 AM
“I just think of it as another player” – Matas Buzelis after matching up with Giannis Antetokounmpo in a preseason loss
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/17… – 2:16 AM


Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Giannis gets heated; #Bucks starters dominate third quarter in 111-107 win over the Bulls jsonline.com/story/sports/n… via @journalsentinel – 12:11 AM
Giannis gets heated; #Bucks starters dominate third quarter in 111-107 win over the Bulls jsonline.com/story/sports/n… via @journalsentinel – 12:11 AM

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Matas Buzelis on Giannis matchup: “I just think of it as another player. I know who he is of course. But when we step on the court, it’s 0-0. He’s a tough cover. He’s really strong, tall, athletic, does everything on the court. But I’m going to compete all the time.” – 10:59 PM
Matas Buzelis on Giannis matchup: “I just think of it as another player. I know who he is of course. But when we step on the court, it’s 0-0. He’s a tough cover. He’s really strong, tall, athletic, does everything on the court. But I’m going to compete all the time.” – 10:59 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
Giannis tonight:
24 PTS (23 MIN)
10 REB
Ready for the season. pic.x.com/6hO1WzLAw6 – 9:48 PM
Giannis tonight:
24 PTS (23 MIN)
10 REB
Ready for the season. pic.x.com/6hO1WzLAw6 – 9:48 PM



Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Unnecessary contact for Giannis—Buzelis airborne -flagrant 1 on Giannis. – 9:07 PM
Unnecessary contact for Giannis—Buzelis airborne -flagrant 1 on Giannis. – 9:07 PM

Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Giannis picks up his 3rd foul as Buzelis is fearless to the hoop…Officials looking at a possible tech on Giannis on contact on Buzelis. – 9:06 PM
Giannis picks up his 3rd foul as Buzelis is fearless to the hoop…Officials looking at a possible tech on Giannis on contact on Buzelis. – 9:06 PM

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Buzelis keeps attacking. Tried another dunk and fouled by Giannis from behind. Upgraded to flagrant-1 following review. – 9:06 PM
Buzelis keeps attacking. Tried another dunk and fouled by Giannis from behind. Upgraded to flagrant-1 following review. – 9:06 PM

Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Buzelis is doing a terrific job…we know he hoops—his energy is fabulous–he has a 3-……–and a dunk on Giannis. – 8:48 PM
Buzelis is doing a terrific job…we know he hoops—his energy is fabulous–he has a 3-……–and a dunk on Giannis. – 8:48 PM

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Matas Buzelis just dunked with an and-one after foul by GIannis.
Would like to see Buzelis matched up with Giannis at other end but EJ Liddell has that assignment for now – 8:34 PM
Matas Buzelis just dunked with an and-one after foul by GIannis.
Would like to see Buzelis matched up with Giannis at other end but EJ Liddell has that assignment for now – 8:34 PM

Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
this preseason game has everything — Giannis squaring up to Giddey, Kenny Lofton Jr. minutes, Adama Sanogo threes pic.x.com/EfZVCUHn31 – 8:31 PM
this preseason game has everything — Giannis squaring up to Giddey, Kenny Lofton Jr. minutes, Adama Sanogo threes pic.x.com/EfZVCUHn31 – 8:31 PM


Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Giddey with a foul on Giannis –dead ball tech foul on Giannis for a physical taunt. Let them play please! – 8:20 PM
Giddey with a foul on Giannis –dead ball tech foul on Giannis for a physical taunt. Let them play please! – 8:20 PM

More on this storyline
“Every day, it was something else. He would just push me and push me and push me and push me, (saying) ‘You’ve got more to give. Come on. When I was 29, I was the best in Europe. I had back-to-back (championships). What are you doing?’ “All this conversation made me realize that I crave the challenge again,” added Antetokounmpo. “Of course, it pisses you off, but it puts you in the mood where you’re like, ‘Wait, I’m going to show you.’ You don’t want to let (Spanoulis) down. Like (with the Bucks), I don’t want to let Doc Rivers down. I don’t want to let Dame down. I don’t want to let my team down.” -via New York Times / October 17, 2024
Sam Amick: Can Giannis stay healthy? Can Dame have a bounce-back season? Will Doc be able to bring them all together? There is serious pressure in Milwaukee this season, and Giannis Antetokounmpo knows it as much as anyone. “Yeah, if we don’t win a championship, I might get traded,” he tells -via Twitter @sam_amick / October 16, 2024
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo also gets mentioned, of course, but that frankly sounds more like wishful thinking from teams hoping — as teams have in the past — that the Bucks unravel to the point that the two-time MVP eventually decides to force his way out. -via marcstein.substack.com / October 11, 2024
Donatas Urbonas: Vassilis Spanoulis goes hard at Olympics officiating, including Giannis’ treatment: “Giannis? They beat him more than any other player that I have seen in this Olympic tournament. If they play another player like Giannis, come and tell me, I’ll say, ‘Sorry.’” -via x.com / August 3, 2024
Still, the effort of Greece and the way they made it a one-possession game in the closing seconds didn’t go unnoticed by coach Vassilis Spanoulis: “We never give up and we are one of the best teams in the world. We are fighting until the end and we are making everyone proud. That’s why we will qualify for the next round because we deserve it”. -via EuroHoops.net / July 27, 2024