Khris Middleton agrees that Giannis Antetokounmpo is the "Batman" of the Milwaukee Bucks

Khris Middleton opens up about his relationship with Giannis.

© Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Chemistry is an underrated component of a team’s success in the NBA. There are plenty of examples throughout the years where a team boasted of top-notch talent but couldn’t ascend the mountain due to egos getting in the way. The duo of Shaquille O’Neal and the late great Kobe Bryant always comes to mind when talking about chemistry issues.

The Milwaukee Bucks are among the few teams in the NBA that have avoided any kind of team dysfunction due largely to their leader, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The team also has experienced veterans who are willing to accept their roles and contribute to the team’s success. One of those is All-Star wingman Khris Middleton, who says nobody on the team really cares about anything else other than winning.

Strong bond

Giannis and Khris have been teammates for the better part of a decade. They’ve experienced the highs and lows that come with the journey of professional basketball together. This shared experience has been the foundation of their strong bond, which is evident in how they conduct themselves on and off the court

“As we got older, there was a respect that was formed and bonded between those intense practices. As time goes on, we realize that none of this matters once we get into a game. We had our practice, we had our battles in practice, now our job is to go out and win. So we go out and win,” Middleton said during his appearance on “The Old Man and the Tree” podcast of former NBA player turned commentator JJ Redick.

Winning cures all

There’s an old adage that goes, “Winning cures all.” Middleton referred to this when describing the dynamic of the Bucks’ hierarchy.

“Whoever’s one, two, three, four, five, that doesn’t matter. As long as we win, everything is taking care of itself. Everybody gets paid, everybody’s happy, everybody gets to go where they want to go,” Middleton said.

The Texas A&M product obviously feels comfortable being in Milwaukee with Giannis, as he re-signed with the Bucks during the offseason. With the “Greek Freak” being THE MAN, the Bucks are slated to contend for the NBA title again.

"I mean, everybody wants to be the guy, but sometimes it's okay not being the guy. I have no problem not being the guy. I know some nights it's going to be my night. He has no problem with that. I know a lot of nights are going to be his night. As long as we win, I'm happy. I'm good,” Middleton asserted.