How Giannis Antetokounmpo responded to Jaylen Brown calling him ‘a child’
"I thought I was just giving him a compliment. But, at the same time, this is who I am."
Giannis Antetokounmpo had surprise written all over his face when he was told that Jaylen Brown took offense to a joke that the Bucks star played after a hard foul.
Antetokounmpo elbowed Brown in the face on a drive to the basket in the third quarter. As he and Brown jogged back up the floor, Antetokounmpo pretended to offer Brown a handshake, only to pull his hand back before Brown could reach for it.
When asked about the sequence after the game, Brown said that Antetokounmpo was “a child” and that he was just focused on helping the Celtics get a win.
Antetokounmpo later explained that he was joking in a manner similar to the way he jokes with his kids.
“It’s a joke. We’re playing basketball,” Antetokounmpo said. “At the same time, you’ve got a hard foul on one play. I think he’s an incredible player. He does whatever he can to help his team win. Extremely competitive player. We’ve played against one another many times. I think we always kind of joke around within the flow of the game.”
“It’s something I do with my kids,” Antetokounmpo said with a smile. “I play around some times like ‘give me a high five, oh you’re too slow.’ I just did it. I enjoyed it though. It was fun.”
A reporter began asking another question, but Antetokounmpo interrupted to ask for specifics on what Brown said the situation. A reporter read Brown’s quote back to Antetokounmpo.
“Oh that’s what he said?” Antetokoumpo said. “Dang.”
Antetokounmpo said that he didn’t mean to offend Brown. He also added that he would do it again if he has another opportunity.
“I thought I was just giving him a compliment,” Antetokounmpo said. “But, at the same time, this is who I am. I play the game with fun, joy. I try to surround myself with young people so I can stay young myself. I try to be around my kids a lot, my nieces, and sometimes I might go out there on the court and play like that.
“But, at the end of the day, as I said I think he is an incredible player. He always does the right thing to help his team win. But I’m just going to continue to me. At the end of the day if I am called a child, so be it. I have three children of my own and I think six nieces. I take care of a lot of kids around here so sometimes when you’re around the kids you try to act like them. It’s fun to be around them.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com