Giannis Antetokounmpo played peacemaker to settle a dispute between the Los Angeles Lakers and the referees of Saturday’s game.
The Lakers throttled Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks 119-95 in front of a dispirited crowd at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. The visitors led by as many as 31 points in the second quarter in a game that was all but decided by halftime.
With the score becoming lopsided early, the most interesting moment of the contest arguably came during the game’s final two minutes. Lakers rookie Adou Thiero, who had been recovering from a knee injury, made his NBA debut against the Bucks.
The Arkansas product scored the first points of his career via a pair of free throws with 1:21 left. He then threw down a vicious poster dunk on the ensuing possession for his first field goal, much to the delight of the Lakers’ bench.
ADOU THIERO INSANE DUNK FOR HIS FIRST NBA CAREER POINTS 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/ipWFwzgD2d
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) November 16, 2025
Some Lakers veterans tried to secure the game ball for Thiero to take home. However, the game’s officials refused to hand it over. After a lengthy dispute that even involved Luka Doncic, Antetokounmpo settled things by plucking the ball out of an arena staffer’s hands and gifting it to the Lakers.
The Lakers were trying to get the game ball for Adou Thiero but the ref wouldn't allow it.
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) November 16, 2025
Giannis went on, got the ball and handed it to Luka.
Class act by the Greek Freak pic.twitter.com/1tOHYzs1BL
“I didn’t know what was going on,” Antetokounmpo said when asked about his classy gesture. “I asked Thanasis, and he told me what was going on. He was like, ‘They’re not giving the ball to the rookie.’ And I don’t know why, I don’t know why they weren’t giving him the ball. So I just grabbed the ball and gave it to the team.”
Antetokounmpo is arguably the most beloved man in Milwaukee. If there was anyone who was going to get his way during such an incident, it was the Greek Freak.
The Bucks star tallied 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in the defeat. His biggest assist of the night came after the final buzzer.
