The Milwaukee Bucks’ 2025-26 campaign was marred by the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade-rumor saga, injury drama, and underwhelming play. They ended the season with a disappointing 32-50 record, which ranked 11th in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks decided to keep Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline, but the expectation has been that Milwaukee will shop him this offseason.
Bucks co-owner Wes Edens recently addressed Giannis’ future when he said, “Giannis is going into the last year [of his contract], so one of two things will happen: Either he will be extended, or he’ll be traded.” Just when everyone assumed that Antetokounmpo had played his final game with the Bucks, the two-time NBA MVP dropped a hint about his future, igniting speculation that he may be staying in Milwaukee after all.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Ignites Rumors
The 10-time NBA All-Star recently did an interview with the “School of Hard Knocks” YouTube channel where he discussed his financial evolution from selling watches, glasses, and DVDs as a poor child on the streets of Greece to making $120 million in a single year.
During that conversation, he talked about investing in numerous restaurants, and without any prompting, he stated that he hopes to spend many more years in Milwaukee.
“They reached out and said they want to open a restaurant here in Milwaukee,” Antetokounmpo said. I was like, ‘Oh, lovely!’ After the games, I’ll be able to come eat here, enjoy Mediterranean cuisine, and have a little bit of privacy and stuff. I had a meeting in here prior to this interview. It’ll be good. Like, I have been doing what I love to do, enjoy good food, and at the same time make a little bit of money.”
“In 2013, I got drafted, and I came here in Milwaukee. I’ve been here 13 years with the team and hopefully many more,” he added.
“They reached out and said they want to open a restaurant here in Milwaukee. I was like ‘oh,lovely!’ After the games I’ll be able to come eat here….. 2013, I got drafted, I came here to MIL, I’ve been here 13 years with the team and hopefully many more.”
— Giannis Antetokounmpo… pic.twitter.com/d1oHGoCBCu
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) June 2, 2026
Antetokounmpo has been careful with his words, as he doesn’t want to be viewed as the bad guy if his stint with the Bucks comes to an end. It’s possible that he’s simply saying this to keep up appearances. However, it’s also possible that he truly wants to stay in Milwaukee, and perhaps he will even consider signing an extension with Milwaukee this offseason.
The superstar is currently signed to a three-year, $175 million contract with the Bucks. He has one more guaranteed year at $58,456,566, and then he has a player option worth $62,786,682 for the 2027-28 season.
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This season, Antetokounmpo appeared in 36 games and averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in just 28.9 minutes per game while shooting 62.4% from the field. While he dominated in his limited minutes, the Bucks’ cornerstone failed to meet the minimum 65-game requirement for All-NBA honors.
Throughout the conversation, Antetokounmpo emphasized the importance of financial literacy and hoped his experience could guide the next generation of players. If this restaurant venture and his “many more” comment are any indication, perhaps his days in Milwaukee aren’t numbered after all.
