Michael Wilbon’s Disrespectful Giannis Antetokounmpo Take Angers Former No. 1 Pick: “He Cares”

Trade rumors have surrounded Giannis Antetokounmpo for the past year and a half, and it came to the point where both fans and analysts were growing tired of the non-stop coverage.

That is because, on the one hand, ESPN’s Insiders were routinely covering it, while the Bucks and the superstar forward himself were quiet about any such rumors.

However, the network continued to reveal that the Greek Freak was indeed looking for a way out after constantly struggling in the postseason.

Even former head coach Doc Rivers and the two-time league MVP tried to dismiss rumors that the latter had asked for a trade away from the Bucks.

The two even went on to troll ESPN’s Shams Charania for his unending coverage, and that led to some back-and-forth between them.

When the Insider started to include the Boston Celtics and others as potential destinations, Michael Wilbon questioned the hype surrounding an Antetokounmpo trade. The analyst pointed to his poor postseason record. That did not sit well with Kenyon Martin Sr.

He plays hard. So you can’t write somebody off… because he has been carrying a franchise year-in, year-out. His numbers haven’t dipped one bit… So to say you don’t believe in him anymore is a slap in this man’s face for all the things that he’s been doing throughout his career. He cares.

Kenyon Martin Sr. said

Kenyon wasn't a fan of Michael Wilbon's disrespectful comments towards Giannis 👀 pic.twitter.com/7oWMXZ736o

— Gil’s Arena (@GilsArenaShow) June 22, 2026

When the former No. 1 overall pick said this, Gil’s Arena colleague Skip Bayless was speechless. The latter knows Wilbon from his ESPN days and generally does the same thing, that is, to question players’ abilities. Martin Sr. essentially shut these narratives down with facts.

Kenyon Martin Sr. wonders if Michael Wilbon would have been critical if his Bulls were involved

Over the course of the past few days, former players have been questioning analysts over their ‘bizarre’ takes. After Kenyon Martin Sr. laid down the facts, he then asked a question that dives into Michael Wilbon’s hypocrisy.

You’re from that city. Your team didn’t do anything. I guarantee Michael Wilbon, if he decided to say, ‘I want to go a little further East from Milwaukee,’ I guarantee you’d be (standing with) open arms… Because you’re a Bulls fan.

Kenyon Martin Sr. said

This was the former All-Star questioning whether the ESPN analyst would have talked in the same breath he did if Giannis Antetokounmpo was heavily linked to the Chicago Bulls.

The 67-year-old hails from Chicago and has openly talked about his fanaticism for Michael Jordan and the Bulls. This shows that Martin Sr. hit the nail on the head on how analysts introduce bias when it is in their interest, only to switch and create bizarre narratives when it does not concern them.

Giannis Antetokounmpo posted cryptic tweet hours before trade to the Heat

The Chicago Bulls may not be in the picture, but three other teams were circling Giannis Antetokounmpo. It was reported that the Boston Celtics had taken the lead in the negotiations, while the Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves were not far behind.

GOD, I trusted you at the beginning, and I will continue to trust you throughout.

Giannis Antetokounmpo wrote on X

GOD, I trusted you at the beginning, and I will continue to trust you throughout. 🙏🏽💯 pic.twitter.com/BuRHnQS2NQ

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) June 22, 2026

This was the former Defensive Player of the Year‘s post on social media, which ended up sending fans into a frenzy. At that time, everyone was aware that he will likely be moved to his new team before the NBA Draft.

Now that he is a member of the Miami Heat, it seems this post was well-thought-out. He is hoping that God will be beside him throughout his next chapter, just as he was during his stellar Bucks tenure.

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