Giannis Antetokounmpo has made a bold statement that could shake up the NBA as the Milwaukee Bucks star calls for Nikola Jokic to drop the Denver Nuggets for the New York Knicks to continue the European revolution in basketball.
The 30-year-old from Greece has publicly encouraged the Serbian sensation to leave his current team for a bigger market as talent from the other side of the Atlantic continues to take over the NBA between Antetokounmpo, Jokic, Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama.
The comment from the two-time MVP comes after Doncic’s stunning move from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 2, and Giannis has a desire to see European stars playing for more marquee franchises.
Jokic, the reigning MVP, has remained loyal to the Nuggets and led them to an NBA title in 2022/23, whilst establishing himself as one of the league’s premier talents. However, Antetokounmpo’s comments add a new layer of intrigue to his future.
“I want Luka to the Lakers,” Giannis told reporters. “I want Jokic to the Knicks.
“And I want all the Europeans in big markets. This is what I want. This is my dream.”
Giannis stunned and humbled by Doncic trade
With the NBA becoming increasingly global, European players have cemented themselves as some of the league’s biggest stars.
Antetokounmpo himself is living proof of that transformation, and his call for top-tier international talent to move to bigger markets is stirring debate among fans and analysts alike.
Nonetheless, the NBA world was shaken by the monumental trade that sent Doncic to the Lakers and Davis to the Dallas Mavericks, with the news coming so far from left field that even ESPN’s Shams Charania didn’t have it on his radar until it was happening.
The move, considered one of the biggest trades in league history, even left Antetokounmpo in disbelief. Doncic, who led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals just seven months ago, now finds himself donning the Lakers’ purple and gold.
A stunning twist many never saw coming, whilst on the other hand, Davis, a key figure in the Lakers’ 2020 championship run, will now be leading the charge in Dallas by locking down their center. This forced Antetokounmpo acknowledged the harsh realities of the NBA.
“I thought it was fake news. It’s insane,” Antetokounmpo admitted in a post-game press conference. “This is the world we’re living in.
“It’s a business. Nobody’s safe. You get evaluated every single day. You don’t take anything for granted.”
