ESPN continued its self-flagellating run of Giannis Antetokounmpo coverage Friday morning by, in the words of Stephen A. Smith, calling the Milwaukee Bucks superstar an “underachiever” if he fails to win another ring. Since multiple reports shut down Giannis-to-X-team trade rumors, the network has shifted to passively aggressing the Greek Freak for remaining loyal to his city and foiling ESPN’s agenda. At least for now, he is forgoing the chance to chase rings elsewhere and will ride it out in Milwaukee. In response, ESPN wasted no time implying a future in which this decision jeopardizes Antetokounmpo’s legacy. If there is ever professional context for using the term butthurt, now would be the time to deploy it.
ESPN Won’t Take the L and (L)et it Go
“First Take” isn’t known for insightful or even-keeled analysis, instead peddling shock and outrage. Thus it should come as no surprise that, in the aftermath of thwarted trade gossip, the ESPN show based a segment on the question, “What is one word you would use to describe Giannis’s career if he doesn’t win another title?”
Smith replied without hesitation, “Underachiever.”
In the context of ESPN’s recent Giannis coverage, it isn’t hard to see the implication: by not playing the trade game, he has decreased his likelihood of hoisting another Larry O’Brien Trophy. This isn’t necessarily wrong. At least in the short term, Antetokounmpo may have a much better shot at winning a chip on something closer to a superteam than what he has in Milwaukee. Co-star Damian Lillard is expected to miss much of next season recovering from Achilles surgery, and few expect the team to seriously contend for a title.
It could end up being a holdover year as Lillard heals and the front office attempts to develop a younger cast around Giannis.
That isn’t the point, though. The absurdity of the First Take segment is the immediate projection, not just of the Bucks’ prospects in 2025-26, but of Giannis’ entire future career – all the way until his retirement. In incredible shape at age 30, it is reasonable to assume that he has, at bare minimum, around eight seasons left (giving him an even 20 for his career).
The discussion’s entire premise is a thinly veiled version of, “How can we stir up drama and cast doubt now that Giannis isn’t demanding a trade?”
A decade from now, if the Bucks have not triumphed on the title stage again, ESPN will have something to point to. “Ha! See! We told you he should have requested a trade in the summer of 2025!” If the Bucks do, ESPN can sweep its stance under the rug with the rest of its “First Take” content.
Giannis Believes He Can Win Another One with Milwaukee Bucks – Give Him Time
Of course, it’s only fair to suggest that Giannis himself might view his body of work as “underachieving” if he doesn’t claim another championship. On his brother’s podcast in April, he said that doing so is a clear goal of his moving forward.
And of course, no one in Milwaukee is happy with three straight first-round exits. Contrasting Antetokounmpo’s individual accolades with his lack of playoff success (nine straight postseason appearances notwithstanding), Smith did concede, “it ain’t his fault”:
He was hurt a couple of times. … This year Damian Lillard goes down, you lose to Indiana, we understand all that. But to know Giannis, his career, his accomplishments, his cache, and to say ‘one championship.’ Nah. No. You definitely expect more than that.
Fair enough. Fortunately, Antetokounmpo has plenty of basketball left in him. Earlier this week, he implied his desire to compete for a second chip in Milwaukee.
Let’s get back there💯 https://t.co/WgeesNSGAp
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) June 11, 2025
Rather than jumping straight into post-retirement questions, how about letting his career play out? Because ESPN can’t handle the fact that all their rumor-milling went for naught? Maybe Giannis does leave Milwaukee after another failed postseason or few. Maybe the sky falls down, pigs will fly, Shams Charania’s reports about an “undecided” Giannis prove true, and something happens before the season starts.
That isn’t happening now, though, and who knows what the team will look like next offseason.
At this point, all the concessions in the world will do little to repair ESPN’s standing among Bucks fans. Instead of humiliating itself further, maybe, just maybe, ESPN should eat the L.
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