-
Eric WoodyardESPN
LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo could be competitors in rival conferences, but they share the same sentiments regarding the league’s plans to hold an All-Star Game in March in Atlanta.
With a 33-point win and 12 rebounds in Milwaukee’s 123-105 victory over Cleveland on Friday night, Antetokounmpo backed James ’position in the game that occurred amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think all the players were waiting for these five days, seven days, whatever the days are. We all have to follow the big dog,” Antetokounmpo said in reference to James. “The big dog says he has zero excitement and zero energy for the All-Star Game, and I’m the same way. I really don’t care about the All-Star Game right now. We can’t see our families.”
“Like, I can’t worry about the game of stars. I want to see my family. I want to go see my little brother in Spain, I want my brother to come and see me,” he added. “So I’m the same way. I have zero energy, zero enthusiasm. At the end of the day, if they tell us we’re going to show up, we’re going to have to do our job. I’m always going to do my job, I’m always showing up, showing the right example. But in the end, deep down, I don’t want to do it. I want to take a break. “
Antetokounmpo finished second behind Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant on the Eastern Conference front track in the first returns of NBA All-Star voting fans.
The consecutive MVP and defensive player of the year he has played has played in the last four All-Star games, citing that his 2020 experience in Chicago was “a lot of fun for fans.”
“At the end of the day, if we have the All-Star Game, I hope fans can be there and we can get them back,” Antetokounmpo said. “At the end of the day, if we have the All-Star Game just to have the All-Star Game and we don’t have fans, I don’t see the point in having the All-Star Game.”
Ahead of the Bucks-Cavaliers’ departure, Milwaukee arrived in Cleveland on game day due to mechanical problems with the team’s plane Thursday night. The Bucks landed in Cleveland on Friday morning.
Players have learned to adapt to these types of situations while playing through the pandemic and in mostly empty scenarios.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer let out a sigh before expressing his opinion on the All-Star Game, saying, “I completely understand that there are a lot of concerns and I share them.”
Antetokounmpo, like James, said he had the impression that the league would not maintain the annual showcase until reports began to indicate otherwise. He said he would rather use the time to decompress himself from basketball than compete that night.
“I thought I would obviously get to the season, where we knew it wouldn’t be an All-Star Game, that it would be a time to spend time with our family,” Antetokounmpo said. “Obviously, when the protocol changes it’s very difficult because on the road, your family can’t come on the road. Back home you can’t leave the house, you can just go to the practice room or the track and you don’t have to time to take your family to a good dinner or your family to hit the road or how to just run away from the game. “