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LeBron James shared his thoughts on Giannis Antetokounmpo deciding to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was set to be the league’s hottest commodity next summer, but news dropped Tuesday that the Milwaukee Bucks star isn’t going anywhere. Antetokounmpo agreed to sign a five-year, $228 million supermax extension to stay with the team that drafted him back in 2013. The two-time MVP could have realistically gone anywhere he wanted next year. He made it clear Milwaukee is the only place for him.
The star’s decision to stay naturally draws comparisons to other top names like LeBron James and even Kevin Durant. James famously dumped the Cleveland Cavaliers on national television in order to join the Miami Heat at the same stage of his career that Antetokounmpo is in now.
Does James see the comparison? Not quite.
LeBron isn’t here to compare careers
This could be interpreted as some shade toward the Cleveland Cavaliers during James’ first stint in town. He carried those teams into the postseason each and every year. Conversely, the Bucks have made it a priority to build around Antetokounmpo in order to win an NBA title. That plan ultimately resulted in him staying to continue the chase.
Cavaliers fans won’t deny the fact the team wasn’t exactly star-studded during James’ first stint. Remember the Eric Snow days? How about Sasha Pavlovic?
The Bucks are on a totally different path and may have been advised of what not to do after studying James and the Cavaliers. But it is still fair to say Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee is comparable to James in Cleveland. Two stars were drafted by small market teams, but only one signed for the long-term. Of course, James did return and has collectively spent over a decade with the Cavaliers, eventually bringing a championship to the Land.
The constant LeBron haters will find a way to say he is being angsty or bitter with this latest comment. He may just generally think his situation is different, even if he throws some minor shade toward the Cavaliers in the process.