Giannis Antetokounmpo has been critical of his Milwaukee Bucks squad amid frustrating performances throughout the first half of the 2025-26 NBA season.
However, NBA legend Udonis Haslem did not appreciate Antetokounmpo’s comments. He fired back with his critiques on how the Bucks star has managed his situation with the franchise.
Udonis Haslem Calls Out Giannis Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have struggled to start the new year, going 4-6 in their last 10 contests. He even went as far as to call out his teammates following their 122-102 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 21.
“We’re not playing hard,” Antetokounmpo said, via ESPN. “We aren’t doing the right thing. We’re not playing to win. We’re not playing together. Our chemistry’s not there. Guys are being selfish, trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team. Guys trying to do it on their own.
“At times, I feel like when we’re down 10, down 15, down 20, we try to make it up in one play, and it’s not going to work.”
Haslem played 20 years in the NBA from 2003 to 2023, all with the Miami Heat as he helped the franchise win three titles. He did not like Antetokounmpo’s approach to dealing with the team’s issues. He issued his response to the comments during the NBA on Amazon broadcast on Jan. 23.
Udonis on Giannis’ recent comments:
“When you start saying guys are being selfish what guys are you talking about? Put a name to it. That conversation needs to be had behind closed doors in the locker room with the guys. The leadership has changed from when I first came in the… https://t.co/r7GUr5CCY6 pic.twitter.com/SDMh8pWo4A
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) January 24, 2026
“When you start saying guys are being selfish what guys are you talking about? Put a name to it. That conversation needs to be had behind closed doors in the locker room with the guys. The leadership has changed from when I first came in the league,” Haslem said.
“Now you have to build relationships with these young guys, you gotta meet them where they’re at. Spend time with these kids. Do you spend time with these kids Giannis as a leader? Do you know their parents, their background, where they come from, what they’ve been through?”
Bucks Will Miss Antetokounmpo for an Extended Period
Haslem may be correct that Antetokounmpo needs to understand his teammates’ situations. However, the Bucks will need to hold down the fort after he suffered a calf strain injury.
The injury took place in the Bucks’ 102-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 23. While Antetokounmpo played through it after sustaining it in the first quarter, he later revealed that it will likely force him to miss four to six weeks. As a result, it places a deeper strain on Milwaukee’s season, which has already been underwhelming with the playoff hopes they had at the start of the campaign.
Milwaukee has an 18-26 record on the season, holding the 11th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are 1.5 games ahead of the Charlotte Hornets and 5.5 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets. However, they trail the Atlanta Hawks by 2.5 games and the Chicago Bulls by four games.
The Bucks will need to bounce back without Antetokounmpo’s services, remaining at home. They host the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. ET.
