Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player who won a championship with Milwaukee in 2021, signed a $186 million max extension with the Bucks on Monday in a surprise move.
“MILWAUKEEEEEEEEE!! Let’s get it!!!! #BucksInSix #Extended,” Antetokounmpo posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday night.
The new deal is for three years, and it includes a player option for the 2027-28 season, ESPN and The Athletic reported Monday.
Antetokounmpo had previously said it did not make financial sense for him to sign an extension this offseason, instead eyeing the summer of 2024. There was an 11:59 p.m. ET deadline Monday night for Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee to complete a deal, with the new NBA season starting Tuesday.
Antetokounmpo averaged a career-high 31.1 points per game in 63 games last season, adding 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per contest. He was league MVP in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons and Finals MVP in 2021, when the Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns.
After an early exit from last year’s playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks traded for Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard this offseason to pair with Antetokounmpo, which showed the superstar that his franchise was committed to vying for more titles.
Entering his 11th NBA season, Antetokounmpo has averaged 22.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.3 blocks per game over 719 career games (654 starts), all with the Bucks.
–Field Level Media
