Giannis Antetokounmpo to Sign Five-Year $228 Million Supermax Extension With Bucks

Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo signed a five-year extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Bucks star announced on Tuesday.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the supermax deal is worth $228.2 million and is the largest in league history. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports the deal includes a player-option after the fourth season.

“This is my home, this is my city,” Antetokounmpo said in a tweet. “I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next 5 years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it.”

The 26-year-old Antetokounmpo was set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2020–21 season.

Antetokounmpo, a native of Athens, Greece, was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft and was widely regarded as a developmental prospect when he entered the league. Throughout each of his seven NBA seasons, he has shown steady improvement. He recorded career highs in points (29.5), rebounds (13.6) and three-point shooting (30.4%) in 2019–20.

In each of the last two seasons, he has led the Bucks to the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and earned MVP honors. Last season, he became just the third player in league history to win the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year award in the same season. He is the first player to accomplish the feat since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1994.

Leading up to this season, Antetokounmpo’s future had been the topic of constant discussion. The Warriors, Raptors, Clippers and Mavericks were among the teams that were rumored with interest in the star forward. After Milwaukee lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Miami Heat, Antetokounmpo was asked if he would seek a trade if he couldn’t reach a contract extension with the Bucks.

“It’s not happening. That’s not happening,” he told Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes. “Some see a wall and go in [another direction]. I plow through it. We just have to get better as a team, individually and get right back at it next season.”

This offseason, the Bucks re-tooled their roster by acquiring All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans in a trade that sent guards Eric Bledsoe and George Hill, as well as three future first-round draft picks, to New Orleans. Milwaukee bolstered its bench by signing forwards Torrey Craig and Bobby Portis and guards D.J. Augustin and Bryn Forbes in free agency.

“I’m not playing not to win the championship,” Antetokounmpo recently told reporters. “I’m not playing to be second or third or fifth. I’m playing to be the best.”

The Bucks will open the 2020–21 season on Dec. 23 when they face the Celtics.