Everything Giannis Antetokounmpo has said about his future in Milwaukee: A timeline

The last couple of seasons in Milwaukee have been rough, to say the least, as the Bucks have faced a plethora of injuries, the big names they have acquired - namely, Damian Lillard and Myles Turner - haven't panned out, and the Doc Rivers hire didn't quite go to plan, either.

Naturally, that has led to a major rise in speculation regarding team superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and his future in Milwaukee.

There's been a lot of back and forth in reporting about Antetokounmpo's plans. At times in 2025-26, it seemed like the two-time league MVP would be asking out of Milwaukee, only for Antetokounmpo to reaffirm his commitment to the Bucks, publicly, too, through his social media accounts:

“I’m not f*cking leaving! The show goes on! This is my home! They’re gonna need a f*cking wrecking ball to take me out of here!”

Giannis Antetokounmpo posts this iconic ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ clip after not being traded from the Bucks at the trade deadline 🤣

(via @Giannis_An34) pic.twitter.com/N4I07kN4k8— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 5, 2026

Now?

It looks like we'll be seeing a lot more speculation on the potential Antetokounmpo trade front this offseason, if not sooner than that.

Below, we put together a timeline of everything Antetokounmpo has said about his future in Milwaukee, dating back to the end of the 2024-25 season.

"I cannot recall that meeting" (September, 2025)

One of the first real signs of turmoil between Milwaukee and Antetokounmpo. Bucks owner Wes Edens told the media that he had a conversation with Antetokounmpo in June where the star had basically committed to the Bucks. Soon after, Antetokounmpo said he had no recollection of that:

"I cannot recall that meeting. The last three years, we've been eliminated in the first round, so it's not much to talk about, We just got to put our heads down and stay locked in the whole year long and try to win some games and hopefully get in the playoffs and then don't get eliminated in the first round. That's pretty much it. And then we go from there."

"I'm here, and I'm committed to this team" (October 9, 2025)

At media day, after a summer where he had reportedly explored a move to the New York Knicks, Antetokounmpo addressed his future in Milwaukee:

"First of all, I haven't read that story. When the season started, I tried to get off social media, try to focus on my craft and the team.

"But yeah, I've said this many times: I want to be in situations where I can win, and right now I'm here. I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates.

"It's like temptation, you know? When you're walking through the amusement park, not wearing your wedding ring, and people are looking at you—'Oh, he's kind of handsome.' Temptation starts when the season ends and lasts until the next one begins. A lot of people will approach me or my agent and say, 'Hey, this is a possibility.' But at the end of the day, I'll make my decision. And my decision today is that I'm here and committed to this team."

"There will never be a moment that I will come out and say I want a trade" (January 8, 2026)

After a loss to the Golden State Warriors, Antetokounmpo spoke emphatically to The Athletic's Sam Amick, saying once again that he'd never be the one to request a trade:

"There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, 'I want a trade.' That's not... in... my... nature. OK?"

"I plan to be here for the rest of my career" (January 8, 2026)

Antetokounmpo once again publicly affirmed his commitment to Milwaukee, but cautioned that he was ultimately not the one making roster decisions for the Bucks.

"My plan is to be here for the rest of my career. If they don't want me... I'm not the one in charge. I am an employee."

The "as of today" caveat (January 8, 2026)

In an extended conversation with Amick, Antetokounmpo used an 'as of today' expression that drew loads of attention:

"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.'"

Amick: "I hear you, but that's the stuff where the fans are then going to say, 'Oh, he's leaving an out.'"

Giannis: "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... But until today, my guy Nick 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."

"On what planet would somebody want to leave this?" (February 4, 2026)

Right before the trade deadline, Antetokounmpo was interviewed by both the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and The Athletic, explaining his dilemma: He loves it in Milwaukee but wants to win championships, something he knew the Bucks weren't positioned to do at the moment.

"I got married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. And also, legally, from the courthouse. And also, I've had my kids here. My father is buried here. So tell me you, when I open the passport of my kids and it says born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my dad is buried here, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"On what planet, on what Earth, would somebody want to leave this?"

"I want to be a Milwaukee Buck until I retire" (February 4, 2026)

Antetokounmpo admitted that in his heart of hearts, his preference would be to remain in Milwaukee until retirement and win another title with the franchise.

"If you ask me what do I really want, deep down in my heart? I want to be a Milwaukee Buck until I retire and win a championship here."

"Brother, if you ask me deep down what I want today, I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career. I want to win here, another championship. And if you can tell me that's possible, let's just hang up the phone.

"You know basketball. You see basketball. You understand basketball. You've been around greatness. You've been around a championship team. You've been around a good culture. You've been around when the popcorn was popping. You were around; you saw it. If you tell me that that's possible, we can hang up the phone and keep on moving with our day."

"I'm not fighting for my life to make the playoffs" (February 4, 2026)

Antetokounmpo also made it clear that he didn't want to play for a team without title hopes:

"I don't want to play for a team where I'm fighting for my life to make the playoffs."

The Wolf of Wall Street post (February 5, 2026)

Immediately after the trade deadline passed without a deal, Antetokounmpo posted a clip from "The Wolf of Wall Street" on social media with Leonardo DiCaprio's character declaring:

"I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving. I'm not f—ing leaving."

"You will never hear me say I don't want to be a Milwaukee Buck" (February 15, 2026)

Antetokounmpo affirmed his commitment to Milwaukee here, though he used the same 'as of today' precursor that once again drew attention:

"As of today I'm committed to the Milwaukee Bucks, I'm committed to the people that I work with, my teammates, the coaching staff, coach Doc and Jon in the front office... you will never hear me say I don't want to be a Milwaukee Buck.

"I am a winner and I'm extremely loyal. Growing up you dream oh what if I played for the Knicks Madison Square Garden? What if I get drafted by the Lakers and now I'm teammates with Kobe, what if I go play for the Cavs and LeBron pass me the ball? If there were ever be a scenario of me not being a Milwaukee Buck no more I don't want anybody to ever think like hey man I quit on my team because this is my team and I love it."

"I have no camp. My camp is my wife, my kids, my brothers." (February 17, 2026)

Antetokounmpo assured Bucks fans by saying he loved wearing the team's jersey. He also shut down any rumors that came out of his supposed camp.

"I can't predict the future. I love wearing that jersey. I will never ever disrespect people that have helped me.

"I feel like sometimes when I say (I won't demand a trade) people don't listen to what I'm saying and they go and listen to everything around me, the Giannis camp. I have no camp. My camp is my wife, my kids, my brothers. That's my camp."

"Opinions are cheap" (February 18, 2026)

Antetokounmpo didn't quite shut any rumors down here, but rather stated the obvious, that at the moment, he was a Buck. But he also used another noteworthy term, saying 'at this moment', about his status as a Buck:

"As Americans say, opinions are cheap—that's why everyone has one. Right now, at this moment, I'm in Milwaukee."

Greek TV interview during All-Star Weekend (February 19, 2025)

Speaking to COSMOTE TV reporters Vassilis Skountis and Rigas Dardalis, Antetokounmpo was asked about the chances of him requesting a trade right after Luka Doncic's shocking move from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers. He made it clear once again that he's the type who would need to be kicked out of Milwaukee, and that'd never ask for a trade:

"At least Luka went from Dallas to LA, why you are sending me to Detroit?"

(laughs)

"NBA is business. If I got traded, I would inform my family and would do my job. But I don't think that I would ever text [and ask for a trade]. I am not this kind of guy. They would have to kick me out.

"A lot of people don't know me. A lot of people know me through things that they read or they watch me on TV. A lot of people see what other players do and assume I might do the same. But I'm going to be very honest with you, I've done what I said I would do since Day 1. And it hasn't changed.

"That's why God blesses me and puts me in position to wake up every single day to do what I love."

"A slap in my face" (April 3, 2026)

Antetokounmpo showed extreme displeasure with the Bucks after the team asked him to sit out when he deemed he was healthy enough to play.

"For somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete, it's like a slap in my face. I'm available to play, but I'm not in the game. I'm available to play today. Right now. I'm available.

"So, I don't know where the relationship goes from there."

Confirming trade talks (April 5, 2026)

Antetokounmpo confirmed that he kept his family in Greece at the start of the 2025-26 season because of the uncertainty surrounding his future:

"Because I didn't know how the season was going to unfold. There were a lot of rumors about me. There was a lot of uncertainty about me—from both sides."

"I need a guy" (April 7, 2026)

Antetokounmpo also admitted, however, that he needs help in the form of a star teammate if the team is going to contend again.

"Anybody that thinks that without having a person next to you, to share that load, and to bounce off ideas and play—he does not know basketball. You have to have a guy. Like, the period that me and Dame was healthy, we won the NBA Cup. Ying and Yang. You need to have that guy and then you need to have everyone fill their roles."

"My job is to play basketball" (April 7, 2026)

Antetokounmpo expressed gratitude towards team ownership, basically saying he repays it by not being the type to demand moves to be made.

"I carry myself in such a way that it's very hard for me to upset somebody, even with my teammates. If you walk in the locker room, they will tell you, Giannis has never raised his voice. Giannis leads with example. Giannis is not an [expletive].

"My job is to play basketball. That's why I get paid. That's what I love to do. Just play basketball. My job is not to organize things and bring the pieces. That is not my job.

"I am not one of the guys that ever did disrespect to the ownership. Why? I came from nothing. Zero, zero, I grew up in a bed that was like this [points to a loading cart in the hallway], me and my brothers had to sleep sideways, like sardines. So, what do I look like if I am going to the owners saying, 'I want this, I want that, I want that.' They give me a life that I would never have imagined."

On his strained relationship with Bucks general manager Jon Horst (April 7, 2026)

Antetokounmpo recognized that he doesn't talk to Bucks GM Jon Horst as much as he used to. Probably not a great thing when your team star and general manager have a strained relationship.

"Jon Horst. I talk more with him. Not as much as I've talked to him in the past. But yeah, I talked with Jon all through the summer. But that's pretty much... it's not the same as before. I talked to [former president] Peter Feigin when he was here every other day and even now when he's not here, I still speak with him."

"I will never push the button" (April 7, 2026)

When asked what it would take to keep him in Milwaukee, be it a coaching change or a management swap, Antetokounmpo refused to demand anyone's job:

"I will never, ever be in a position to affect somebody's life. I can't do it. My heart doesn't go to that. Sometimes I say my opinion. But I would never push the button. That's not who I am."—

On the Bucks holding him out (April 7, 2026)

Things got particularly ugly between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks when reports surfaced that he wanted to play but the team wanted to hold him out. It was pretty clear Antetokounmpo wanted to play in 2025-26 to have a shot at hitting the hardwood with both of his brothers.

"I get it. I've been hurt... I was on a minutes restriction when I came back from being hurt. But why don't I play now? To keep my value high so I can get traded?

"I don't care if it's the right thing. I don't care if it's smart thing. I don't. I just want to play. This is what I do.

"I play when I'm able to play. I didn't sit out my first season when we only won 15 games. Why, when it was the NBA Finals, did I come back six days [after a serious knee hyperextension]. Why? It doesn't change. This is who I am. And now you're telling me to go against my nature."

Comparing himself to Dirk Nowitzki (April 7, 2026)

Antetokounmpo compared himself to another all-time great power forward, Dirk Nowitzki, mentioning his loyalty in staying in Dallas even when times got tough.

"This is why you have conversations with all-time greats like KG (Kevin Garnett). Dirk (Nowitzki) was in the same position, and chose to stay. We'll see. We'll see what's going to happen."

"Did I wait too long being here?" (April 7, 2026)

With the Bucks eliminated from playoff contention and an NBA investigation ongoing into whether Milwaukee was wrongly holding Antetokounmpo out of games, the Greek Freak gave an extended interview to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Lori Nickel and Jim Owczarski, expressing doubts while still saying his preference was to stay with the Bucks.

"Is it bad for me saying, I'm 31 years old, I won the championship when I was 26 years old. Then the question creeps in your head, like... Did I wait too long? Did I do the right thing?"

Being here. [Staying in Milwaukee.]

"But then I'm like, No, this is what I want. I want to be here. I want to be with my team. I want to win here again. This is my home. I've spent more years [that I can remember] here than in Greece. It's my home. I want to help the community with my wife and my brothers.

"Thanasis is loved here, my brother, my mother are loved here. My kids and I... it's a normal life, I have a normal life. If you go somewhere else, all this switches. But I don't want to look back and be like..."

"I’m very big on communication. I’ve always been open. But, I don’t know if that; it gotta go both ways. It has to go both ways. It cannot go one way." (April 12, 2026)

Antetokounmpo showed frustration with what he deemed a lack of good communication by the Bucks organization.

“I’m very big on communication,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’m very big on communication. I think this is why I’m able to have a happy marriage, you know? I’ve been 10 years with my wife [Mariah]. Ten years with my wife, married one and a half and I think we have an incredible family, we love one another and we support one another and the reason that is, is because we communicate with one another. This is why we so tight. We always say the truth and we never argue. Even when we argue we try to figure out a way for us to move on forward and try to find a solution that for that specific moment. You don’t let things linger. I’m very big on communication. I’ve always been open. But, I don’t know if that; it gotta go both ways. It has to go both ways. It cannot go one way.”

"I don't know [if that was my last game for the Bucks]. It's not up to me anymore." (April 12, 2026)

Antetokounmpo washes his hands of his future with the Bucks, saying whether or not he gets traded this summer is not up to him, but the team.

On April 12, the official end of the 2025-26 season, in the visiting locker room at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t sure if that was his last game ever for the only franchise he’s ever known. “I don't know, it's not up to me anymore,” he said. “It's not up to me. We'll see."

"Zero. I didn't have control. I was being cleared to play." (April 12, 2026)

Antetokounmpo showed frustration with the way the end of the season was handled by Milwaukee, as he wanted to play, but wasn't allowed to by the Bucks.

How much control do you feel like you have? Antetokounmpo: At this point? Zero. I didn’t have control. I was being cleared to play; I don’t understand. From my understanding, coming back to play — which I don’t think I ever had any return-to-play protocol — was I had to play three-on-three to be able to be available to play. I did that multiple times. I have never in my life denied participation (in) practice, which whoever says that — I don’t know who said that, who came up with that — that’s disrespectful towards what I’ve done for this team and the way I carry myself my whole career. You’ve been around me. You know. I did what I was supposed to do. I wasn’t able to come on the court. Who has that say? It probably comes from above. It probably comes from maybe the front office or the owners. So, I thought I had control, kind of like, “If I’m healthy, I’m going to play,” But this shows me that we — not just me, players in general — don’t have no control. We’ve gotta do what we’ve been told. So, to answer your question, no, I didn’t feel like I had control at all.

"Money doesn’t mean nothing to me. Zero. Absolutely zero. What means something to me is winning." (April 12, 2026)

Antetokounmpo claimed emphatically that money doesn't mean much when asked about a potential extension with the Bucks, and that he wants to win.

Antetokounmpo then asked a reporter what he would do if he was in the star’s position in October. The reporter acknowledged he could use the hundreds of millions of dollars that would be in that offer. Antetokounmpo: I don’t know what the number is, but I think I’m pretty much OK. If I don’t take it, it would probably affect my great-great-grandkids. It won’t affect me. But, what would you do, basketball-wise? Money doesn’t mean nothing to me. Zero. Absolutely zero. What means something to me is winning. What would you do? Take money out of it. That’s an interesting question. Antetokounmpo: That’s why I’m asking. What would you do? Wouldn’t the implication be that if you’re at Bucks media day on Oct. 1, the team has decided they’re going to offer you the extension and the team has been retooled in a way to compete with you yet again? Antetokounmpo: Mmhmm. Mmhmm. What would I do then? Hypothetically? I know. First of all, I don’t wear the pants in my relationship; I gotta ask my wife. If my wife says yes, (then) yes. If she says no, (then) no. It’s up to her. So, you guys gotta ask her. Find her on social media. Follow her podcast … I don’t know if she has one. Ask her. Whatever she says, I do.

"I haven’t been offered an extension. So, if that is on the table, then I will try to make the best decision for me and family." (April 12, 2026)

Despite saying money doesn't matter to him, Antetokounmpo also said he'd have a decision to make if he does get offered a monstrous max extension in Milwaukee. We suppose we'll find out at that point if the extra money really doesn't mean anything to him.

But you wouldn’t be opposed to it? Antetokounmpo: To sign? A contract? No. But, we’ll see when we get there. Until we get to October, it’s eight months, seven months. It’s a long time. But somebody has to offer you that for you to sign. I haven’t been offered an extension. So, if that is on the table, then I will try to make the best decision for me and family. But if it’s not on the table, then I have to focus on how can I prove my worth and get on the floor and do what I do.

"People listen to sources, but the main source is me." (April 12, 2026)

Antetokounmpo again showed frustration with fans and media listening to sources and not to his own words. This is a common theme that played out multiple times in this saga.

'Phone on do not disturb. Working hard every single day to improve my game, be in the best physical shape that I can be and just stay away from it — all of it. I feel like this season, not just because of the way it went, it was draining for me, for sure, and how everybody approached my situation and the Bucks situation. But again, if it was draining for me, it was definitely draining for the team and for the organization. I feel like sometimes, people just don’t listen. They listen to the “sources,” and the main source is me. It is what it is. So again, do not disturb (on my) phone, go about my day, improve and come back better.'

To be continued...

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Everything Giannis Antetokounmpo has said about his future in Milwaukee: A timeline