As displayed by his approach to the point forward position, Giannis Antetokounmpo is vastly different from any athlete in the NBA. Mirroring his on-court dexterity is Giannis' objection to some of the fame and celebrity that other superstar players crave. In fact, he openly disdains any attention that is not coming from his team's success. That dislike for outside dramatics made it easy for Antetokounmpo to choose more time to practice over LeBron's movie star propositions.
On Tuesday, ESPN's Malika Andrews sat down with Antetokounmpo for an interview. During their conversation, Giannis explains that he's not interested in using his newfound celebrity to catapult any ventures other than his hoop dreams. He states that his sole focus is getting better as a basketball player and because a role in Space Jam 2 would take two weeks away from his normal summer workout routine he decided to pass on the opportunity.
"I don't like being Hollywood," Antetokounmpo said. "I don't like all this extra drama. I am just going to try to be me."
This desire to avoid the limelight has been Antetokounmpo's calling card since entering the league in 2013. There have been several stories of Giannis' hungry but humble approach to the game. This includes the tale of a newly minted Antetokounmpo nearly jogging from his home to the Bucks' arena so that he wouldn't be late for a game. He's also admitted that he could not see himself playing in a big market like Los Angeles because he prefers Milwaukee's calm atmosphere.
"I could never see myself being out there," Giannis responded when asked how he was enjoying the All-Star Game. "Of course, because of the All-Star Game, there was a lot of people there. In Milwaukee — I love Milwaukee — it’s low-key. I can walk down the road, down the streets without anybody bugging me — nobody interrupts my conversation or anything. I love how quiet and calm Milwaukee is."
For the Bucks' front office, Antetokounmpo's desire to be solely immersed in the game is something they hope will never change. Since becoming part of the organization, Giannis helped lift the franchise from the bottom of the Eastern Conference to boasting the NBA's best record. As a result, the Bucks claim to already be structuring Antetokounmpo's next big contract with plans to make him the focal point of a new NBA dynasty.
