Giannis Antetokounmpo Reveals He Almost Retired From NBA in 2020 After Signing Massive Bucks Deal
Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the most recognizable faces in the world of basketball, has opened up about the mental toll that his fame and success took on him. In a recent interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the two-time MVP revealed that he was "ready to walk away" from the NBA in 2020.
The Greek star's admission is a startling one, given that he had just signed a five-year, $228 million contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, as per The New York Post. At the time, the deal was the richest contract in NBA history. Antetokounmpo's decision to contemplate retirement was not driven by a lack of success on the court. On the contrary, he went on to lead the Bucks to the championship title in 2021.
Instead, it was the mental toll of being one of the best athletes in the world that weighed down on the 28-year-old. Antetokounmpo's life had become consumed by basketball, and he found himself struggling to find happiness in the sport that he had once loved. "I had that conversation – yes – with the front office," he admitted. "It's hard, it's not easy. In 2020, I was ready to walk away from the game."
“If something doesn’t make me happy, I don’t do it. I don't want to do it. I’m just going to stay home, stay with my kids, stay with my family and try to be happy. I don’t care" he said. “And this was right when I signed the largest contract in NBA history."
The coronavirus pandemic, which swept the globe in 2020, only made matters worse. With the NBA season significantly affected, Antetokounmpo found himself spending more time away from his family and friends than ever before. It was a difficult time, and he was seriously considering hanging up his very large sneakers for good. “And, you know, very normally, everybody is looking at me like I was crazy. ‘You just signed the largest contract in NBA history and you want to walk away from the game and all that money…?’ Mannnnn, you can take that money and shove it into your...sorry for my language," he said.
The NBA superstar eventually decided to seek help by visiting a therapist and seeking inspiration from fellow sports stars like Michael Phelps and Naomi Osaka. He also started watching documentaries like Break Point to gain a better understanding of the challenges that athletes face, reports Mirror.
With the help of his counselor, Antetokounmpo was able to put his struggles into perspective and appreciate all of the things that he had achieved. "He helped me a lot – not just being a better basketball player, being able to deal with it; but being a better partner, better father, better brother, better son. Better person," he said.
