Giannis Antetokounmpo dishes on Damian Lillard: “I think we’re gonna do, as a team, what’s necessary for us to win”

Giannis will do whatever it takes to win with Damian Lillard.

© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Having several top-tier superstars on one team can be a good problem to have. There are times, though, when egos and personalities clash, resulting in team chemistry issues. But for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, that doesn't seem to be a concern. 

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Giannis shared his thoughts on playing alongside Damian Lillard, emphasizing the need for the latter to play his game while everybody else follows his lead.

Selflessness

On a starting five with four All-Stars and one basketball to play with, it's easy to see how there can be some cause for friction. However, Giannis believes otherwise. In the case of Lillard, who is known for his incredible scoring ability and fearlessness when the game hangs in the balance, Giannis says that they need to let him be who he is and support him in his role.

“At the end of the day, man, like, it’s literally the first time like I’m ‘OK, we have to let Dame be Dame and if that means that me and Khris have to take a step back.’ Not back, but you know, from ball handling. As players, we have to take a step forward," Giannis said.

“But in this specific topic, taking a step back and let Dame be Dame because we know that we’re going to figure out ways to be effective. We’re going to figure out ways to help this team, but we have to — we don’t have to win, but I want to win so bad and we have a chance to win. And I think we’re gonna do, as a team, what’s necessary for us to win.”

Not his first time

Giannis added that he's already shown a willingness to defer to teammates in the name of winning. There were times during the Bucks' title run in 2021 when he took a backseat to Middleton in the clutch, and he did the same for Jrue Holiday on occasion. So it's not a new concept for him to take a step back and let other players shine when necessary.

“I’ve been in the position before that down the stretch,” Antetokounmpo said. “Khris had the ball more, we won the championship. Now, we all benefited from it. It changed our life. It changed everybody’s life, the coaching staff, training staff, everybody’s life. It changed the city of Milwaukee. So, we have an opportunity."