[Amick] Giannis Antetokounmpo: “I am not (going anywhere). I am invested in this team. I want to turn this team around. I want to play good basketball. I want to be healthy. I want to help my teammates.”
Sam Amick: Sure, but that’s kind of why I wanted to see if you were willing and comfortable to say, like, listen, I’m not going anywhere right now.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: I am not (going anywhere). I am invested in this team. I want to turn this team around. I want to play good basketball. I want to be healthy. I want to help my teammates. I wanna win games. The last six games we’ve played, we’re 4-2. We have a lot of games in front of us. I’m locked the f— in. I’m locked in. My priority is just staying healthy.
Sam Amick: The way your situation has been framed is that in the next few weeks, before Feb. 5, you have to decide whether or not you want out. Am I hearing you correctly that you have decided?
Giannis Antetokounmpo: As of today. You know how they say this thing about your significant other, or your wife, you always have to say, “As of today.”
Sam Amick: I hear you, but that’s the stuff where the fans are then going to say, “Oh, he’s leaving an out.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo: I don’t care. I really don’t. It doesn’t affect me at all. What I care about is basketball. I want to be good at what I do. And there’s some things that I have to do, which I will do on the basketball court. But until today, my guy (Bucks director of content) Nick (Monroe, who was standing nearby) has been with me for 13 years, and it’s been great. Tomorrow, when I wake up, it may not be great. Today, our relationship is great. Tomorrow it might be different. It’s the same thing with my wife. Until today, my wife is great. She’s a great mother. She’s a great partner. She supports me. Until today. Tomorrow, she might wake up and be like, “I don’t want this. I fell out of love.” Until today, me and (Bucks general manager) Jon (Horst) have a good relationship. Tomorrow, (Horst) might think there’s something else out there, and he might have to do whatever he has to do.
You know, for me, right now, today, I am committed — not 100 percent, but 1 million percent to my teammates, to my craft, to this team, and to this city. One million percent. I don’t look right. I don’t look left. I look only to the next game, which is the Lakers, and I want to win the game. I want us to stack wins before the All-Star game to get ourselves back to the race. We’re what, 11th now? This is not who we are, you know? So that’s the only thing in my mindset.
Sam Amick: But you’re planning on being here through the end of the season, correct?
Giannis Antetokounmpo: My plan is to be here for the rest of my career. If they don’t want me …
Sam Amick: OK, but you’re the one in charge (of this situation). Let’s be real.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: I’m not the one in charge. I am an employee.