You gotta feel for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Here's a guy whose entire team was nearly crumbling before his very eyes, and in the superstar manner that he holds, he did his best to carry Milwaukee past the Indiana Pacers in a heated first-round playoff series.
I mean, just look at Antetokounmpo's averages in the 2025 playoffs: 33 points on 60% field goal shooting, a whopping 15.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists, one steal, and one block, all in over 37 minutes of playing time per game.
That Game 5 was a complete whirlwind. It really looked like Milwaukee was on pace for an inevitable victory, and to everyone's surprise, a superb game from ex-Raptor Gary Trent Jr. was spoiled by two costly mistakes that ultimately cost the Bucks the game—and their 2024-25 postseason hopes.
Frustration and a range of emotions must have set in for Giannis, and it was clear from his post-game scuffles with both Bennedict Mathurin and John Haliburton, the father of Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Aside from those heated exchanges, Antetokounmpo had to take the stage for his post-elimination media presser, where it was evident he was navigating a myriad of thoughts.
Among them, the Bucks' franchise star took a moment during the scrum to commend a list of fellow point forwards around the league, mentioning his desire to go through "phases in his career" and to become a "legit point forward" as the next step in his journey.
Giannis Antetokounmpo praises young Raptors star Scottie Barnes
Here's what the "Greek Freak" had to say:
"I've seen one of the greatest players, LeBron James, being the best at it. You see a lot of people playing that way right now, from [Pascal] Siakam, oh Pablo [Paolo Banchero], Scottie Barnes. You see a lot of people that can handle the ball and put their teammates in the right place and playmake. Make the team better. It's something that I enjoy to do. If I had the opportunity to come back next year and be able to do that, I will love that. I think I can be good, I can help the team, in that way."Giannis Antetokounmpo (4/29/25)
That's pretty good company right there for Scottie Barnes to be in, and for Giannis to shower that kind of praise. It just goes to show how much the young Raptors star has exemplified being a dynamic cornerstone for his franchise. Given the diverse skill set that Giannis possesses himself, it's no surprise that he looks at similar archetypes like Barnes, Banchero, LeBron James, and Siakam in regard to players he can appreciate.
Now, for the giddy members of Raptors Nation, hearing Scottie Barnes' name mentioned outside of Antetokounmpo's mouth might be enough to get a bit excited about what it could mean for the Greek superstar's future.
Like I mentioned in a recent piece, I’d like to think there’s some substance to the idea that the Raptors are an interested team and a worthy candidate to add Antetokounmpo—though, of course, it would depend on what Toronto is willing to shell out for his services.
Seeing that Giannis is a big fan of Barnes’s work, I’d imagine the prospect of playing in Toronto is forming an unstoppable frontcourt pairing alongside SB. But the question is: could Masai Ujiri swing the Bucks in his favor without Barnes?
Looking at things from Barnes' perspective, I would definitely be enamored to hear that one of the league's best sees me in high regard. Often, Barnes is the subject of scrutiny—being overlooked by the mainstream or sold short of his potential; I won't lie, that bug has certainly come over me at times too.
But at the end of the day, Scottie Barnes is still one of the NBA's rising young stars, and he embodies a style of play that isn't the most flashy, yet one of the most impactful—something Giannis Antetokounmpo definitely recognizes.