Giannis Antetokounmpo goes viral for response to question about ‘failure’

May 13, 2022; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots during warmups prior to game six of the second round for the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Bucks finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA, but they managed just one playoff win and were eliminated by the Miami Heat in five games. Some would view that as a failure for the No. 1 seed, but Giannis Antetokounmpo certainly does not.

Following Milwaukee’s 128-126 overtime loss in Game 5 Wednesday night, Eric Nehm of The Athletic asked Giannis if he feels the 2022-23 season was a failure. Antetokounmpo became a bit agitated and said Nehm asked him the same question last year.

Giannis asked Nehm if Nehm would consider a typical year at his job a failure even if he did not get a promotion. The former MVP then stopped himself and said he did not want to get “personal” but gave a thoughtful response about why non-championship seasons are not failures.

“There’s no failure in sports. There’s good days and bad days. Some days you are able to to be successful, some days you’re not,” Antetokounmpo said. “Some days it’s your turn, some days it’s not. That’s what sports is about. You don’t always win. Some other team is going to win. This year, somebody else is going to win. It’s as simple as that.

“So 50 years from 1971 to 2021 that (the Bucks) did not win a championship was a failure? No, it was not. It was steps toward it. We were able to win one. Hopefully, we can win another one.”

You can hear the full response below:

“Michael Jordan played 15 years, won 6 championships. The other 9 years were a failure?"

Giannis on the Bucks 2022-2023 season pic.twitter.com/0l69MKazCF

— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 27, 2023

Antetokounmpo suffered a back injury in the first quarter of Game 1 and missed Game 2 and Game 3 because of it. He looked plenty healthy on Wednesday night while scoring 38 points and grabbing 20 rebounds, but the Bucks made some big mistakes they could not overcome.

Giannis has a point that not all seasons that end without a championship are failures, but the result is about as disappointing as it gets given how well the Bucks played all year.