A few stars will miss this season’s NBA Playoffs, and one of the most notable ones is two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
He had another spectacular individual season and revealed some keys to success and traits that he shares with many of the league’s other top players.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Says Top NBA Stars Succeed Because They Have Consistent Habits
Antetokounmpo was a guest on ‘Gogis Garage’ with retired former NBA All-Star Goran Dragić, where he revealed the similar mindset he shares with other MVPs.
Antetokounmpo said, “Our sports psych, he helps you organize your mind and make sure you develop mental coping mechanisms to deal with life, deal with pressure, deal with your family, deal with media, and all that stuff.”
“When I feel anxious, I just walk slow, I talk slow, I eat slow, I breathe slow. I slow down. I just slow down, you know, take that moment to just slow down. Even with my kids, I look at them, I talk to them slow because sometimes you feel overwhelmed,” he added.
Antetokounmpo added, “Be consistent with it. It will help grow your game. I really (believe) if you grow as a person, it will help grow your game. And the more consistent life you can have off the court, the more consistent you’re gonna be on the court. Consistent life when it comes to your friends, when it comes to your habits, when it comes to your kids, when it comes to your significant other. The more consistent life you can have, the better you’re going to be.”
He finished by saying, “And you can see the best players in the game right now, Jokić probably has a very consistent life off the court. Shai, consistent life off the court.”
“Wemby, probably a consistent life off the court. LeBron, for many years, consistent life off the court, consistent on the court, you know? Stephen Curry, I think that’s the blueprint. I think that’s the blueprint,” he said.
Giannis says he prefers Miami over LA
Dragic: “Vacation, LA or Miami?”
Giannis: “Miami. Miami, Miami. I think LA superficial. I don’t like LA”
(Via Gogis Garage YT, h/t @HeatCulture13) pic.twitter.com/supYbMGjWm
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 18, 2026
Antetokounmpo rose from humble beginnings in Greece and quickly became one of the NBA’s most popular players after arriving in America following his 2013 draft by the Bucks. He has maintained a disciplined, family-first approach throughout his rise to become a legendary player, and he believes many of the league’s other top stars share a similar mentality.
Many NBA fans joke about Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić’s humble nature, as he tries to keep his personal life private and enjoys horse racing in his native Serbia. Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also has a relatively private personal life built around his family.
Ditto for San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, whose sole focus appears to be chasing greatness. While league icons LeBron James and Stephen Curry are more open with their personal lives, they also have a disciplined approach and rarely avoid negative headlines.
As Antetokounmpo notes, all of these topics stars have clarity away from the basketball court, which allows them to perform at a high level when it matters most.
