Giannis Antetokounmpo Says He Wants to Coach After Playing Career

The Celebrity All-Star Game is a perfect place to start.

Many NBA greats have turned to coaching at the conclusion of their playing days. Legendary center Bill Russell led three different franchises in three different decades. Magic Johnson took a spin as the Lakers' head coach in 1994. The list goes on and on.

Now, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo appears eager to join that long lineage. The two-time MVP is only 28, but is already looking hopefully in the direction of a coaching career when his playing days are done.

“Afterward, when I retire, I want to be a head coach. A lot of people don’t know that about me, but I want to be a head coach. I really want to be,” Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel after he coached in the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game Friday night. “It’s kind of hard, because you have no control. And, I know the game of basketball, I know how to play the game of basketball, so it’s hard.”

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Antetokounmpo pitched in to help Dwyane Wade's team outduel Jazz owner Ryan Smith’s team in the annual event, 81–78. Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf was named MVP.

The game was seemingly taken in fun by everyone except for the exhausted head coach from Milwaukee.

"I lost my voice," he said. "But I got some cough drops, we got the win, I'm happy, we're good."