Giannis Antetokounmpo signs record-setting extension with Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a massive five-year extension keeping him in town for the long haul.
Milwaukee Bucks fans are dancing in celebration right now. For months, rumors have swirled that two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was planning on entering free agency next summer, with the idea of potentially joining the Warriors or Heat to form a super team.
Well, that won’t be happening. On Tuesday afternoon, Giannis announced on social media that he and the Bucks have agreed to a five-year extension. That’s right, Antetokounmpo isn’t going anywhere.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has decided to commit his future to the Milwaukee Bucks
Antetokounmpo’s contract extension will be for five years and worth $228.2 million. This breaks the record as the biggest deal in NBA history. You just knew Antetokounmpo was going to get that kind of a contract, but the expectation was that he’d be signing it with a new team and not the Bucks.
There’s no denying the Greek native deserves this kind of money. Antetokounmpo has taken home MVP honors in back-to-back seasons. In 2019-20, Antetokounmpo averaged 29.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game. Looking ahead, the four-time All-Star has hopes of helping Milwaukee win the NBA Finals.
The team had the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last season but suffered an upset loss to the Miami Heat in the conference semifinals. Antetokounmpo is clearly motivated from the early exit in the playoffs and wants to do everything he can to help Milwaukee go on a deep run this campaign.
By signing his new contract, he’s surely gotten rid of the outside noise and speculation that would have surrounded the team this season. Instead of worrying about free agency, Antetokounmpo will be a Buck for several years to come. It’s indeed a historic day in Milwaukee.