Giannis Antetokounmpo entered EuroBasket with dreams of delivering a title for Greece, but those hopes ended painfully. His team fell 94-68 to Alperen Sengun’s Turkey, who advanced to the finals for the first time since 2001. The defeat itself hurt, yet Sengun’s postgame words cut deeper. He admitted Giannis was dominant but argued he was “not really a good passer.” That comment spread quickly, turning admiration into controversy. Soon after, the Milwaukee Bucks rushed to defend their star against Sengun’s stinging critique.
The Bucks did not stay silent, instead posting a video on X to prove Giannis’s vision on the court. The caption was direct: “Giannis is a great passer.” Clips showed him dishing an assist against Finland. Giannis himself responded strongly in Greece’s third-place game, where he erupted for six points, five rebounds, and three assists in only three minutes. But the controversy didn’t fade. Sengun’s words kept echoing, and suddenly, the conversation around Giannis stretched beyond EuroBasket.
That’s when trade chatter came alive. On Celtics All Access, the debate turned toward Houston and whether they should even consider Giannis. Noah Eagle looked at the Bucks roster and said, “But I’m looking at their roster now. I mean, Porter, Trent, Kuzma, Giannis, Turner, Gary Harris, AJ Green, Portis, Prince.” Bobby Manning jumped in, adding, “They got Cole Anthony.” The two wondered aloud if adding Giannis would actually lift Houston or hurt their future plans.
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The debate soon cut to the heart of the issue. Manning admitted, “If you asked me a couple of months ago, would I have traded Şengün for Giannis? I would have said yes. Now I don’t know.” Eagle agreed, questioning Giannis’s longevity: “No, I would have said no last year. Because at some point, Giannis’s play style is not one- to me, that’s going to age gracefully.” But that was not all, he even added a warning for Houston, stating, “To me, you’re shrinking your window if you’re Houston. You have a chance with Şengün. And this is why I’m saying he’s the most underrated player in the league.”
The reasoning is simply. Giannis is a player who thrives on running down to the rim and scoring from close quarters. He uses his physicality and strength to get past defenders and score despite contact. This, the argument is, is not a playstyle that can stand the test of time. Giannis does not have the silkiness or the passing-first mentality that is often associated with players who go on to have longer careers in the NBA. LeBron James is a prime example of a player who was once physical and known for driving to the rim. However, he also always had uncanny vision and a passing ability that helped him make the best plays. Does Giannis have that? Or are there adjustments he will potentially have to make in order to produce at elite levels during later years?
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As for if they see Giannis potentially ending up on Rockets’ roster, Mannnig had this to say: “Is he going to stick it out there for his career even this year? I don’t—I don’t imagine they’d be trading Giannis at the deadline, but if things go sideways to a massive degree, who knows?” While he doubted a midseason trade, he noted things could unravel quickly. Eagle reminded him of how unpredictable the league can be. “After last year, after Luca last year, nothing is off the table,” he said. Their back-and-forth captured how uncertain Giannis’s future looks.
Meanwhile, Baby Jokic has returned from the EuroBasket 2025 after improving his star status. He led his nation to the final with averages of 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. He showed his scoring ability with an overall efficiency of 55% and has only added to the weight of the arguments above. Of course, at the same time, the comparisons are very premature. We are, after all, pitting a younger Center still making his mark in the NBA, against a 2-time MVP and the 2021 Finals MVP; a player people can rightfully argue has been the best in the NBA in recent years. Or at the very least, very close.
Giannis Antetokounmpo shows his confident side beyond the controversy
The heated debate around Alperen Sengun’s remarks, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is focused elsewhere, not counting his short outburst during an Instagram livestream. Just days after Greece secured the EuroBasket bronze, he opened up about what truly drives him. His words offered a glimpse of the pride and passion that keep him grounded, especially with the NBA season fast approaching.
“One thing for sure that I know in my nature is I always find a way to get up. Every time I play for my nation, I fall in love with the game. When you’re able to make Greeks happy and be able to inspire the next generation the way they inspire us. I just love the culture, I love the locker room, and I love my teammates. There’s no feeling like representing your national team. This is probably the greatest accomplishment I’ve ever accomplished so far in my life.”
That emotion did not stop on the court. Giannis grew teary-eyed when speaking about playing alongside his brother Thanasis, adding another layer of meaning to Greece’s bronze medal run. For him, family and country remain at the heart of his career.
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His wife, Mariah Riddlesprigger, echoed that sentiment through a heartfelt post. “Let me brag for one second…my man, my man, my man! 🥰Everything earned, nothing given! You deserve all of this greatness and more! During this EuroBasket we celebrated our wedding anniversary, the first day of school, and our beautiful daughter’s second birthday from a distance, but every single sacrifice is worth it to see you accomplish your dreams. I promise to be by your side through it all my love. Keep going, I’m right here with you; we aren’t done yet!”
Together, their words paint a different picture than the trade chatter. For Giannis, the love of country and family will always rise above outside noise. It also means that even in presence of setbacks, the Greek Freak has the support system he needs to quickly bounce back.