Giannis Antetokounmpo Once Confronted LeBron James’ Ex-Teammate for Questioning His Integrity

Iman Shumpert spoke about the time Giannis Antetokounmpo checked him during the trade rumors.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Once Confronted LeBron James’ Ex-Teammate for Questioning His Integrity

Giannis Antetokounmpo had a terrible travel against Knicks (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo confronted Iman Shumpert for questioning his integrity during trade talks.
  • Despite trade rumors, Antetokounmpo remains with the Milwaukee Bucks and denies wanting to leave.
  • The Bucks are struggling in the standings, currently 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 26-34 record.

There is no doubt that Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the NBA today and can move the needle wherever he goes. It has been a chaotic season for both the player and the Milwaukee Bucks with all the noise. Before the trade deadline, all signs pointed towards Antetokounmpo being traded away by the Bucks.

There were several reports that Giannis Antetokounmpo wanted to leave the Milwaukee Bucks in the offseason, but nothing materialized. However, after a poor start to the season, rumors that Antetokounmpo wanted out resurfaced.

Antetokounmpo has missed a significant number of games this season, including the All-Star Game. The Bucks are currently 11th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 26-34 record. They are 3.5 games behind 10th place Charlotte Hornets, which is the last play-in spot. Despite their poor record, Antetokounmpo has been performing at a high level and is averaging 27.7 points, 10.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists in just 31 appearances.

With several teams trying to trade for the Greek superstar at the trade deadline, Antetokounmpo ended up staying in Milwaukee. The 31-year-old denied asking for a trade and reiterated his love for the city, but at the same time has been guilty of giving mixed signals.

While Iman Shumpert has never formally announced his retirement, his last stint in the NBA was with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2020-21 campaign. He played just two games with the Nets before parting ways with the club upon expiration of a 10-day contract. Since then, Shumpert has started his own podcast and has featured in several shows.

The former NBA champion made an appearance on Club Shay Shay and revealed that Antetokounmpo checked him during the trade talks.

Giannis came and holla’d at me. I said some sh**. Me and my brother were just going off and laughing. He said ‘Y’all can say whatever you want, do whatever what y’all gotta do. Don’t question my integrity for the game ever again.’ I’m like ‘You know what, you’re right.’ He came and checked me but then I wrote my P.S after that like ‘He ain’t say he ain’t wanna get traded’. It’s cool man but I think it’s gonna happen [the trade].

Drafted as the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA draft, Antetokounmpo has grown into one of the best players in the league and has spent his entire 13-year NBA career with the Bucks. He delivered the franchise its first championship in 50 years in 2021.

Giannis Antetokounmpo makes his return after 15 games

The “Greek Freak” finally made his much-awaited return after five weeks. The Bucks had gone 8-7 during his absence. Unfortunately, it was not a happy return as the Bucks were blown away 108-81 by the Boston Celtics at the Fiserv Forum on Monday night.

The Bucks were chasing the game from start to finish and were down by as much as 14 points at halftime. It was a disappointing loss for the Bucks as it came against a Celtics team without Jaylen Brown in the lineup. The loss extended the Bucks’ losing streak to three games.

Giannis Antetokounmpo looked rusty on his return
Giannis Antetokounmpo looked rusty on his return (Image credits – BBC)

Antetokounmpo did look a bit rusty but did manage to record a double-double as he posted 19 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists in just 25 minutes of action. However, he shot at just 38.9% from the field and missed both three-point attempts.

The 31-year-old did not have any support from his teammates as it was a tough shooting night for the Bucks. Meanwhile, all five starters for the Celtics recorded double-digit points, and Payton Pritchard scored 25 points from the bench.

Bobby Portis sparks uncertainty over Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future

Bobby Portis Jr. and Giannis Antetokounmpo have shared the locker room since 2020. The two teammates helped the Bucks to an NBA championship in 2020, with the Greek winning the Finals MVP and Portis Jr. playing a crucial role from the bench.

The 31-year-old was asked whether Antetokounmpo and he would still be a Buck in October during a new interview with Sirius XM NBA Radio. Porter Jr. was not able to give an accurate answer.

It’s too far away to say. We’re playing for Milwaukee, I’m playing for Milwaukee. I take pride in being a Buck. I love the city of Milwaukee. They call me the mayor of Milwaukee.

Porter Jr. reiterated that there is still some fight left in the Bucks as they try to make it to the postseason this year. With Antetokounmpo fit and healthy, the Bucks will fancy their chances of making it to the play-in tournament. They are scheduled to take on the Atlanta Hawks on March 4 at home.

Also Read: