REUNITED: NBA All-Star Khris Middleton’s EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Thanasis and Giannis Antetokounmpo

REUNITED: NBA All-Star Khris Middleton’s EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Thanasis and Giannis Antetokounmpo

the my my best connection I’ve had in basketball in general. Like I’ve scored 20,000 points, 10,000 points from Chris, right? Like I’m going go I’m like I’m going tell my grandkids that, my kids that the media that No, it’s a that check over here too for me then. Hey, I’m broke. Welcome to another episode of analysis show with your one and only finesse do uh and your host your co my co-host Tony C. What up? What up? What up? We’re in a different arena today. Yeah. Yeah. Because we have just a little a little We’re changing it up a tad. Yeah. And uh today we have somebody so special to to me, to my family, and we have somebody so special to Milwaukee as well. Uh but before we introduce our guest you know I always want want to thank our our teammates outside the outside the show always remember is a group of law offices it’s always analysis presented by group law offices one call that’s all that’s all I want to thank uh Pawani casinos and hotels whenever you come to Milwaukee that’s the place to stay great entertainment great service and you might win some money always good right I want to thank uh prison wine company we’re going to send our guests as well some bottles this company is good is great amazing and Last but not least, McDonald’s in the building. I’ll let responses. Thank you guys so much. Uh, back to the show. Ed, you know, you guys, I got to give the intro. You got to, this has to be your best intro for today of all time. I got to do it with my like really really say which on my heart. One of the greatest Milwaukee Bucks of all time, NBA champion, Chris Cash Money Midler in the building. What’s up? What’s up? Appreciate it. I love that intro. I love it. I love it. The the amount of time since we started this show that people, you know, we’ll throw out there, who do you want to hear from? Who do you want to see? You lead the league. Like, it’s not it’s not close. You lead the league what the fans have been just asking for for about a year now. So, really happy to have you on the show today. Thanks again. I appreciate that. With votes like he’s asked me a couple times before and uh he knows me. I like to kind of stay away from everything, but he finally got me on this one. Got it. Uh, how’s life, man? How you feel? First of all, let’s start with this. How you feeling in Washington? How how’s life out there, man? Life is good. Feel feel refreshed. Um, for one, uh, great off season where I just got to work on myself, be with my family, um, and not have to worry about going into procedures or, you know, a long rehab. So, I’m definitely feeling refreshed and, you know, blessed and thankful to still be playing. And, you know, I’m excited for this year. Excited for this year. Yes. Yes. Yes. That sounds just like Chris. That’s Chris right there. That’s lock. He locked in. He’s locked in. Wait, I I do have a You know, when we talk about the NBA, so often you see guys are drafted at 18, 19 years old. I think I’m getting a very rare opportunity tonight to talk to two of the oldest player, two the two oldest players on their respective rosters. Wow. Is that Is that true for you? I know TA that is true for you too, right, Chris? I am the the OG, the vet, the veteran, whatever the whatever the term is now. I am that old guy on the team. Y you’re not old, but old is the NBA locker room. The uh I I tell them all the time I’m not old. Just in this building, I’m old, but once I get outside, I’m still young. Still young. Have they Have they called you ank yet? Oh, yeah. Every day. Every day. I mean, uh it’s kind of hard. No, no, no, not me. But I can see it. I can see it coming at some point. I can see it coming. But I I do I do believe too, Tony. I was saying this about Chris is like that let you know the amount the amount of like how much younger the league has become like the league has become so so young. It’s in it’s in you know it’s always been like you know the prospects and the potential but like now across the board just really really young. You’re on your second contract before you’re able to drink prisoner wine. Like legit you’re on your second deal that fiveyear 140 whatever Keegan Murray just got. I think he’s like 22. Yes. You plus I I I do believe this too. But I do believe the other part is that they’re missing this. This is what the the NBA is missing right now. Like the vets, the the older guys kind of lead the way and on the on the court and off the court, you know, and uh I think all all the teams have picked really good guys to do that, you know, from from, you know, from our team, their team. like a lot of teams are like finally seeing this as like oh shoot okay we we need somebody to kind of like walk them through but at the same time we need to win you know we need to win a couple of games with them and teach them how to win that’s a big role as well I don’t think I I don’t think they could have anybody better than uh teaching them how to win we’re talking about Chris has you know has uh has won everything basically but now from Olympic medal to you know to Olympic medal NBA championship NBA champion everything that is to win you know and and mentality wise play one of one of the like the best players and you know great players. Uh do they ask you questions like that? Do do they ask you? Yeah. Yeah. I get they you know I tell them um you know whatever question they have I I try to give them my my point of view on it. But they do um I love that. That’s what keeps me engaged. I ask them questions also. But um it’s more of you know just trying to help them grow. um you know, let them find their own path, but you know, like you see me in practice, T, if I see something X and O wise and I see how you could sharpen up a certain way. Uh I’m just going to pull you to the side, quick tidbit about it and and and we’re going to go about our business. But yeah, so who were your when you got to Milwaukee, so you got traded to the Bucks in like June or July, they had just drafted Giannis. Who were like your guys vets when when you guys were coming up early in what was that 2013? Yeah. Um, I think our our vet, you know, was mainly Zaza. Um, he was the guy that, you know, took no [ __ ] in there. Um, I know TA could probably hear the stories, but, you know, me and Zaza got into it many times about him being on me about not taking something serious, not going as hard as I need to, or, you know, just just something where, you know, the the big bro steps in and says, “This is how we be a professional here.” Um, and you know, I learned from a lot from Zaza. uh still in contact with him all the time, talk to him, joke with him, you know, him and his family, but he was a guy that definitely led a a great example for us in this journey, right? The the the Bucks, the NBA journey so far, right? Uh did you think it was going to be like this? Like did you believe like your whole NBA journey was going to be like you’ve been one of the best guards in the league and just really I mean obviously you work at it, right? You believe it. You just don’t. But like really actually doing it. Yeah. No, I mean there’s, you know, when, like you said, when you get there, all you can do is work. Um, and, you know, I’ve always been a big believer in my work would speak for itself and, you know, my production would speak for itself. Um, so, you know, year after year, you you realizing, you know, you’re getting better, you’re getting better. And then at some point, I think after, you know, my first, you know, Allstar, I looked up, it’s like, oh, you know, I I am now one of these guys, but it took a long time to get there. I feel like it took a lot of hours. Um, but it’s definitely the the work that I try to pay attention to more than anything. He’s he’s on the the Mount Rushmore Bucks on Mount Rushmore. They say, “No, this is not even debatable.” Lucky Bucks. I did um at media day I got a chance to talk to Miles Turner and I asked about you because obviously with uh the season coming up and things like that and having played the Pacers those two years in a row and the way he as someone who is almost of the same age like came up in the league spoke glowingly of you as a professional but just as the when you twisted your ankle against the Pacers he was like and then he twisted another one we were like we don’t have to see Chris Middleton tomorrow and then you showed up and they were pissed they just disappointed that um that you you were going to still go out there on the floor. But what does it mean to you then? Obviously, like you got rookies and other people who look up to you for what you’ve done in this league, but to hear that from one of the peers as well, like how much they respected you on that other sideline? No, it means it means a lot. You know, shout out to uh to Miles also. We we spent some time on a USA team for a while for a while. Um and going against each other, got a lot of respect for him, but it’s just more of, you know, I’m just I’m thankful. Um it’s a it’s a sign of respect also that other guys acknowledge what I’ve done and what I’m doing. Um and what I’ve tried to play through um throughout my career is just you know something that you know I hold my hat on being trying to be one of the toughest. Um trying to to be one of the best um like we always say star in your role be the best version of yourself that you could be. Um I think that’s something that you know I I truly tried to to live and work while I was in Milwaukee. Would you and this obviously might catch you off guard, but would you ever come back to Milwaukee and finish your career again? Hit me with the tough ones already, bro. No, it doesn’t matter what. No, it’s it’s it’s all about the situation you Yeah. No, it’s it’s all about the situation, of course. You know, you know, I’m happy here in Washington right now. They’re they’re doing me well. Um I I believe in this this young talent that they have, but you never know in this business. You know, I never thought I was going to get traded. Um, and here I am. So, um, it’s it’s something that, you know, you never want to close the door, you know, on on life and different things. So, um, it’s something that, you know, it just has to be the right situation at the right time. So, 100%. I mean, TA TA hit you with the hard questions. I’m go I’m going to go with the soft easy one. So, no, I wanted the next I wanted to ask him about like, you know, with him and Yan is like the kind of That’s where I was head. Oh, okay. Go ahead. Go ahead. I was say take me back summer of 2013. You’re in the cousin center. You meet the Buck’s newest first round draft pick, number 34 from Greece. What was your first impression of Giannis? Yeah, like first is like, all right, who is this tall, skinny kid? The kid, the guy is taller than me for one. Skinny, he’s like uh my pinky. Uh uh John Hiss might shout to Hook. John Hen was bigger than him at the time. I’m just like, wait a second. This guy plays my position. Like, and he’s from from Greece to Europe. They’re the top pick. like, “All right, this is the guy I’m going have to duke it out with.” Um, and that’s that’s literally my my first impression. You know, I came over with Brandon Knight, so me and Brandon play different positions, but I’m seeing I’m like, dang, this is the guy I got to go against the this year to at least make the team or get to that next contract or to even break the rotation. You know what’s so crazy? And actually, you know, I want to before I ask this question, I’m going to have I’m gonna have this guy come here and ask you I’m gonna have to ask to ask you this question because the tall skinny go there. Oh my god. What up? What up? What up, man? Oh, wait. My mic. Let me turn the mic on. Hold on, man. Hey, man. What up, man? What’s up, bro? You all right? You good? I’m good. I’m good. Sound good. You excited to see me on Wednesday? Of course. Of course. You know, I love I can’t wait. I can’t wait till I switch on him and that shoulder comes. Yeah. So, the first question I asked him was like, “What do you think?” We asked him like, “Hey, what do you think about Giannis when you guys first got drafted?” And he said, you know, like, you know, this the skinny kid, tall kid, and this guy now he’s like the top pick, right? coming now from overseas Greece and now I gota like duke it kind of play the same position at the time right kind of play the same position I’m going to have to duke it out with him to crack the rotation stuff like that what was your first impression when you you met K man he was he was fouling man he he’ll foul every possession and you know uh back then NBA was totally different like we we had this play uh that we call we called it floppy right and it’s pretty much exactly what Chris loves to do you know come out of pin downs and shoot the mean raids and like manipulate the game for him to get like an open shot. So I had to defend him. So I had to like chase him off screens and stuff. And back in the back in the day we had like Zaza Puli and EPO or Laret screen like like so I used to chase him around and I was so skinny and weak. So he used to like throw me around like grab me and throw me this way go that way and manipulate the game for him to get easy shot. And then the other thing I I remember I’ll go back home and I’ll like look at my hands. I’m like, man, I got so many scratches, man. This this mfer, man. God, I’m going get him tomorrow, you know. But, uh, it was it was fun. It was fun. Fun days. Fun days for sure. Do you uh this is this is the the thing like how much does you know because he said something before is like, you know, I asked him about Washington. He’s like, man, there’s a lot of young guys, a lot of young talent and stuff like that. and you’ve been in this position before with him, right, with Chris and having uh uh I think you guys went from being the youngest, right, in the team to kind of being the the like we’re building around those two guys. What year was that? Was it 16 17? Like what year was that you guys? Um uh 167 I think I think that sounds about right. Maybe maybe around the year I tore my hamstring on the year after. I think that’s the year that uh Greg Monroe came. Yeah. That year. That year. Yeah. And you know while like I know okay this was the first year that you guys met. What about like in towards now the fourth or the fifth year? What was that? What was the dynamic between you guys now? Uh for me, I’ll be very honest with you, like because the the way that the team was thinking at the time, they were trying to like, you know, um build a team around Jabari, right? So me and Chris was like the people that fell like right underneath that. So we were just solid, right? Even the year I think my third year when Greg Monroe came and Jabari was still on the team, but he got hurt and then Chris was there. like it wasn’t it wasn’t our team it was we have Jabari that had the great potential then we had Greg Monroe that was our top free agent at the time and me and Chris was just like pieces of the team right so I think around maybe year five when we went to the playoffs against Boston I realized like oh [ __ ] like it’s it’s me and him now moving forward and I think that cemented when coach Bad came on the team and gave us kind of the the keys like Chris was the leader with Giannis and then we uh Bledo and then we kind of carry on from there. So yeah. No, no, no. Keep going. Keep going. So, so u year six I think it was cemented that it was me and Chris team, you know. Well, so Chris, this is a question for you. Uh like this transition between, you know, coach B coming in, Jay Kid, right? And now like is you and Jan like what was your mindset? Was it like okay now we gota we got to carry this team? Was it like uh were you looking at Giannis a different way? Were you looking at yourself in a different way now? Like towards towards like leading the team? Yeah. No, it’s it’s funny. I think both of y’all know this a little bit. Uh me me and Bud didn’t get along at first. Um just from the uh the fact that he didn’t want me to shoot mid-range. Um and he let Giannis do whatever he want. Fine. But for me, it was just No, no. It’s real. It’s real. So, it it was more of like, all right, I get it. Like, I got to make it work with Giannis. Me and him got to figure out how how to play together, work together. But then for me and Bud, it was like, “All right, if you want me to do all these things, you still have to let me be me.” Um, and of course, he he helped me expand my game to the three-point line, which it was there, but it’s not like what it was. Um, so it’s more of all right, I’m figuring this stuff out with Yiannis, how we could play together, get this one, two man game going, but also we have to find ways for me to still be effective for mid-range because I feel like that’s where I could be most effective at and, you know, play make and make the decisions that I need to do and whatnot. Um, so that transition with Bud was a little rocky at first, but I understood what he was trying to do. Um, of course we got to we got to play around big fella because that’s the engine like everybody says, but then he also allowed me to expand my game from the three-point line which he saw and knew the game was coming. Um, so so now yeah, so I think that that was, you know, kind of where I was where the transition from JK to Bud. So you guys are talking about like this whole, you know, 2013 to that culminated in 2021 with the championship, right? you’re on the stage and you say, “Chris, we did it. We What do you say, Chris? We did it. We did it.” Like that is something I think is on t-shirts for Bucks fans, right? But for you guys, like in that moment, how surreal did those eight years, nine years, 10 years of leading up to that moment, how did it feel standing there with the confetti falling? Man, it was incredible. It was incredible. Um, you kind of like, it wasn’t that moment necessarily for me. It was a different moment which I explained. But uh that moment, you know, I looked back and I saw Chris right there holding the trophy and you know I was looking at the crowd and looking at Adam Silva and all the people that was around and I was like like damn I can’t I don’t believe like we really did it, huh? And I turned back and uh said what I said to Chris. But I think the moment that um it was incredible for me, it was when the like opening opening night and it was the ring ceremony. They played this video of like me and Chris like kind of like turning from like kids from the red jerseys from like young adults to like men. And it wasn’t just basketball. It’s like we literally like became like, you know, fathers, you know, husbands. We turn into like men, right? So I’m looking at this. I’m like, I can’t believe like this is the guy that I was going at at him every single day at practice just because I wanted to solidify myself and this is the guy that we’ve been side by side like tough games like high pressure situation, you know, down the stretch. I’m looking at him. I do this. This is going to be my next question, right? And and before you say it, I don’t want to interrupt you, but that down the stretch, right? And I want and I want you and Chris talk about like down the stretch the the the connection you have you have the my my best connection I’ve had in basketball in general like I’ve scored 20,000 points 10,000 points from Chris right like I’m going go I’m like I’m going tell my grandkids that tell my kids that the media that no it’s a some of that check over here too for me then to ask hey I’m broke no but but this is I want to ask you now Chris like the you, you know, we hear what Giannis is saying like you having uh to play with him and have this connection and build this and build on this. Did that that does that like s surpass any any system or coaches or like how like how do how do you how do you get to that point? It it’s just trust. I think uh trust, you know, a lot of talking, a lot of playing games together. I think the one thing that he used to always say at the beginning is just throw it up, I’ll get it. I remember the first couple times, you know, I threw it up like, “Oh shit.” Like, I don’t know if he going to get that. And they if he don’t dunk it, he’s coming down with it. And that’s why I was like, “All right, bet.” Like, I know at the end of the day, throw it anywhere up and he’s going to catch it. Even down low, he’s going to catch some of them. But I know he likes it high. Um, and once once he told me that and I saw him catch a couple, I I knew like, all right, that’s if anything else fails, I know where to go with the ball cuz he’s going to go it means so much to him. He’s going to go get it and he’s going to convert it. You talk about the championship. I want to talk about one moment before the championship, right? Because we had the championship run and there was a moment, you know, when they, you can call it the media, everybody was kind of trying to to we’re on a run right now and kind of try to uh, you know, create some a certain atmosphere, right? It was a it was a moment. I think Chris had an amazing uh game and they go like, “Hey, this guy’s the bad man. This guy is this, this guy is that.” How did you guys handle this? How did you guys hand this? And now you I want to ask you this first and then you’ll say I want to ask you this first like how you guys handle this. First off, we we never talk about that. Was never, you know, issue. I think we have gone through the Batman and Roman issues between our first four or five years together. So that was always solidified. It was more of trust like trusting one another. We we know how much we both want to win and we have to trust each other in different situations whether we have the ball or not. I think we both learned that and we both earned each other’s respect. um through games, through trials and failures and success successes. I mean, I think that’s something about I think he knew for me I wanted the best thing for the team. I think it was the same for me to him. You know, you earn that trust, you know, uh by showing up every single day for the team, you know, for yourself. Uh but like Chris was never a top pick. Like he was he he wasn’t the best player in high school. He wasn’t the best player in college. He he wasn’t the top pick in the NBA. And the same for me like I was in like the best player in high school, best player in college top pick or I was never the man in any situation. Like we both were workers. You know what I’m saying? So when you see guys like working and I see this guy work every single day to get to a spot that he’s in the NBA finals like I cannot discredit his work, you know? I he he earned my trust, you know, because I’ve seen him like take got it through the mud with me. You know what I’m saying? So it’s easy for me and Chris to respect one another and trust one another in those situation you know. Um but one thing and I’ll say this because we are workers and we never had okay we have egos like we everybody has egos. You want to be good you have egos but we never have like this selfish thing. We always did what was best for the team you know and down the stretch it was easy. He was the best closer in basketball that year. So it was very easy for me. I wanted to win the game. So even if you see in game six, you know, there was like coach Bad wrote this play. It was thumb thumb down. He was like, “Yeah, get in the elbow and go.” Like, “No, no, no, no, no. I’m getting the elbow. Go get Chris. I mean, give it right here. Finish the game for us.” You know, like this is we talk about the NBA effing trophy. We talk about the trophy here. You know what I’m saying? And I had like 45 points, whatever. I’m like, “No, no, no. He’s going to close the game because I trust him so much. He’s been in this situation so many times. I’ve seen it from year one till year nine that he was in the league. He’s going to close the game. I trust him. So boom. I remember the shot by the shot. Boom. Knock that [ __ ] down. So that play when I think a lot of people reme remember that was originally drawn up for you and you called that play that play was for me to get it in the elbow and to go and you and I said, “No, go get Chris.” And I threw it. I’m like, “Chris, I’m going to get you the ball. If you can shoot it, shoot it. If you cannot shoot it, I’m going roll to the rim.” Yeah. And he came out and two guys was on him. Boom. Send us home. Up six or up eight. I don’t remember. You know, we won the game. So, what I’m trying to say here is that you get you you trust one another because you see you see what he went through. Like we went through this together. We got it right off the mud, man. Together from the beginning, you know, you know the craziest part. I mean, those two gave a great answer, by the way. They said, you know, Chris said he is and said he is. I just said it was simple to me. It was just Batman Superman. It was just simple because those two guys were unstoppable. They know, you know what I’m saying? There is nothing I’ve seen Chris uh and Spider-Man Drew Holliday and Drew Holland and Spider-Man the Avengers. The Avengers, man. Seriously though, I’m not even This is not even over exaggeration, you know. And I might be biased, you know, my brother, one of my teammates for so many years. I’ve been almost decade plus uh known Chris uh Drew Holiday. Like I am biased a certain way. But I am telling you like watch the film doesn’t lie. The numbers don’t lie. The winning percentages don’t lie for the past. You know what I’m saying? That that doesn’t lie. I don’t care how however you want to dissect it. But you mentioned you just mentioned you you’ve known Chris for a decade plus now. Yeah. I asked you earlier what was your first impression of Giannis on the floor? What was your first impression of TA off the floor? Man and on the floor really. But the first time you met him? No, off the floor. Cool. you know t TA everybody good you know everybody feeling good positivity that we we we together as a team on the court man it was just who is hacking me who keeps fouling and then you know talking to TA it’s just all about you know pushing and you know you see it with with Giannis and his other brothers is all about I’m just going to push you to the limits like so what I’m fouling you they they can’t foul you like this in the game so it’s either you either going to whine about it or it’s going to make you tougher and better. I think after a while we we all realize that like you know he he he has a different mindset of how to push guys in different ways and that’s something I always respect from TA. I see him lined up like all right here we go. I mean I can’t take this play off like otherwise everybody going to see you know that I don’t want no smoke with TA and I don’t want to do that. So, no, that that’s that was that was my my my uh first reaction of of TA, seeing him play and playing against him and getting to know him. Yeah. You know, you know what’s so crazy? I used to I was like first guy in the team and he was uh you know I’m playing the 34 whatever and obviously and now I you can play any position basketball and I’m looking at the two guys right which is Chris and Pat at the time. I don’t even remember it was Chris Pat. Who else was at the three? Nobody was also at the three right Pat. I think Wes. Yeah. Who else was West? Yeah, West maybe. Yeah, West. But Wes was kind of playing in two or defensive too. He was kind of like I was mix. So I’m like, “Okay, let me try to guard Pat.” So Pat was okay. I’m just kind of bigger. I was like, you know, I’m just going to try to push him out the way, corral him and stuff. So I’m trying to guard Chris and Chris has this thing with his shoulder that he does all the time to everybody. Put his shoulder down. Boom. He hits you with the right shoulder. Executes every time though. It’s not only the right shoulder. It’s that he plant his foot at the same time. hits you with his right shoulder so he creates that space. Exactly. So he feels he feels stronger than what he actually is. Exactly. I’ve played oneonone with him many times. I know his moves, you know. So he plants his foot the same time he’s going to plant his shoulders, right? And you So yeah, you can’t push him back and he’s always Sounds like good fundamentals to me. So to me, it took me time to realize this because I go in, I’m like, “Okay, just guard him.” Boom. Hits me. I’m like, “Hold up. Yeah, hold up.” I’m like, “Hold And the reason I said hold up is because I usually I’m stronger that other guys I’m you know I just I you know what I’m saying take a tag or do something. I’m like I was like hold on. Why? Because he hits me and then the in the same instinct when he hits me the ball is already in the basket. I’m like bro this guy this guy’s footwork is elite. The last time I saw somebody with this kind of footwork is in highlights when I’m when I’m watching like Kobe and I’m watching like Michael Jordan like just the the footwork. It was it was it was elit. And then I sat down. I was like, man, you know, I’m like, I don’t know if I ever ever gonna be able to ever not even even close to be able to have this touch and this like feel for for like how to how to he got some [ __ ] to him. Yeah. Yeah. But I would watch him work ethic. I would ask him. People ask like a lot of people, it doesn’t matter how how what’s your age. I don’t care if you’re 25, 30, or 35. You see something you ask. I’m like, “Hey, Chris, how do you how do you shoot?” Do you remember this? Remember Chris? And I was like, “How do you shoot?” And then I was like I was like okay and I took it. I swear to God I was shooting great and I and I was like he’s not jumping too much and he shoots forward forward and I was like I because I was having trouble with like the line because he felt like from Europe felt a little bit further you know I was shooting my fingers. So what I want to say about this is like you know he he my first impression was like man I want to play against this guy. I want to and I want to but then I was like no I want to learn from this guy you know and the way he was talking to everybody and was very mature even though we were the same age usually I swear to God anybody I meet my age they’re not really that mature at the time I was like but he was very mature very like down to earth and and you know cared about like his family and about this like you know city you know uh very very very happy first of all that he’s here and we we’re saying this all the time. Yeah. Uh now I’m going to ask a difficult question then this is you know as you guys can answer this how you want to ask you know you get traded right uh did you guys talk like what it was the it was for me it was very weird it was very weird because even the day that it happened you know I’m not on social media he knows too like I don’t follow what’s going on I don’t have shams in my notification like other players and um you know like it was the team bus we had a game in Charlotte I think or I don’t remember Charlotte and then we I’m in the team bus and Chris always sits behind me right this last couple of years he was always behind me on the right side so I’m like hey hold on Chris I was like you know they told me like hey man he got he got he got traded I said for real for real yeah I said damn and then the the whole the whole week was just weird because like I’ve never played the NBA game ever in my career without him. So it was kind of it was kind of weird. But then you know how the NBA the business it’s it’s you got to like learn how to swim or you going to drown. So just got to figure out the way to keep on helping your team, keep on being great, you know, and keep on staying within your routine so you can keep on doing what you’re doing, right? So after that though, we had the we had the conversation and that was it. What about you Chris? Yeah, same. I mean, as far as, you know, what was going through my mind when it happened, of course, a lot of emotions, man. Uh, pissed, angry, happy, sad, all the above. Um, one thing I was happy about, I got to drive home after I got traded. Went to uh, one of those rental car companies, hopped in the car, and drove 3 hours back home. Uh, spent a day or two there, and then went to DC once everything got finalized. But on that drive, it was just a lot of, you know, reminiscing just, you know, from day one since I got there all the way up until, you know, losing against, uh, Indie in the playoffs. But, uh, it was a ride. I think I needed some time by myself where you can sit back and reflect on on things and, you know, kind of get things out the way. Um then talking to Giannis like it it was weird like not you know knowing that this is going to be my teammate my my sidekick you know for the next for the rest of my career or just to the end of the season whatever it was. So that was definitely a weird feeling a weird thought process that I was going through um trying to figure out a new normal for me because I’ve been in Milwaukee pretty much my whole NBA career. So that’s pretty much you know all I knew the life of you know basketball in Milwaukee. So, getting myself, you know, to try to figure out a new city, especially like DC, you know, a big big difference than Milwaukee, different pace, different lifestyle. Um, but it was something I was excited about, get to, you know, still playing in the NBA, I get to see, you know, a different side of it now. Um, which I’m happy I am. I’ll say one one other thing. I was like, um, it was a road trip. So, after the road trip was over, I was like on Twitter, you know, and they were like, like, yeah, great question. Yeah, I was on Twitter and then I was like seeing like me and Chris and then Chris and his stats and Chris and me and Chris, me, Chris and Drew, you know, I was just like, damn, [ __ ] you know, like I started getting emotions. So that’s why you saw me like I don’t know if you guys remember last year that I reposted like a bunch of tweets of Chris and all that. It’s because I was on the plane because I was thinking about the same thing. I was like just reminiscing all the years that you, you know, went by and all the moments that we’ve had and people like see from the outside like when you’re in the inside and you’re in those high pressure moments when you’re like grinding through training camp through preeason down moments on the plane playing cards, you know, going out to dinners together and all that. People don’t see that, you know. So I I spent more time with Chris in those 12 years that I than Mugh. Yeah. Is a real thing. Became teammates again and we spend all we all spend the time together. Yeah. Like I literally spend more time with him than my own brothers. So it was it was definitely still still is a weird feeling. That’s the part I don’t think fans realize a lot especially if you’re not a fan of the team itself and you you know watch those games and those moments cuz fans think everything is fantasy basketball, right? You trade this guy, it’s 2K. You trade this guy, you trade this guy, we need this, blah, blah, blah. Whatever. They don’t see the card games. Who’s better card player, though? No, they both kind of play the same Tony. I’m not going to lie to you, and we obviously we don’t have to talk about this now, but all of us have the same conservative. We’re conservative. All all three of us. That’s it’s hard to play. Like if somebody was the fourth playing against us, he would hear hair. All of us because we play a certain way. All of us. All three in this thing. But uh I remember when when you know when I heard the news it was actually like two o’clock in the morning. I just woke up went downstairs. I literally went downstairs bro. Went downstairs. You were you were in Greece? I was in Greece and I facetimed you and I called you. I was like man I will never never take for granted any advice you gave me. anything we sit down any dinner we had any you know on the road uh the wins we had like you know just us being together because this is what the the the NBA is you know it it’s a it’s something so special right that sometimes just because it’s human it’s a human thing it’s a human trait to take thanks stuff for granted and just you know push on the next day and the next day but like I would never take this for granted the same way last year I lost you know a whole year like being out and watching from the from across like even though I was happy to be in the building and feel the atmosphere I was devastated and I was I was like why am I here but why am I watching this guy why I’m not you know what I’m saying my dogs why am I so but like I said bro you know like really really being a brother and really and not being a brother as in like the the talks and everything and showing up and with actions you know I never take this for granted and I know obviously you’re wearing a different uniform you know and he’s wearing a different unifor perform and etc. But it it really doesn’t matter because we’ve built something so great. Can I say something? Yeah. You know, like those moments sometimes like damn, he’s special. Yeah. You know, and I think it was year six for me, year seven for Chris. It was a game against Washington, the team that he plays now. You know, I took I took my knee was hurting, so I stayed out and um the team played without without me. All of a sudden, like while I’m getting like three minutes and stuff, it’s like, “Hey man, Chris got 20 and a half.” Damn. You know, like that’s evidence. Then he’s like, “Oh, you got 25.” [ __ ] he hoping you got 30. I said, “I know you going to be happy tomorrow.” [ __ ] He might get us some watches, too. 35. I said, “No, you got to calm down, Chris. Calm down, motherfucker.” 40 45 50 51 51 points. I came back. Yeah, he had I had I have this picture on my phone. He had like his uh he had like a paper that he wrote 51. I said just have 51, bro. What the special bro? Mhm. Special. And when you look at the go look at the clips, it’s straight buckets. Buckets. That’s Chris. Did you you had no turnovers that game too, right? Uh no. I think the the stat I remember was a I had a double double and shout out to Dante Tay. Uh, let the ball drop so I could get that double double for my last. Yeah. Shout out to Dant. Big shout out to Dante. Always looking out for his teammates. Always been a great Yeah. Always being a great teammate. I I got to get him on the show. I’m trying. I’ve been trying to, but I’m busy, you know. Uh, so, okay, Chris. Now, apart from that, I know you’re businessman. I know you like to do businesses. I know you like like what is your what is the stuff like fans don’t know about you like outside the court? like stuff like fun stuff you do also. Yeah, fun stuff I do. Uh besides, you know, being being a dad, being a husband, being with my kids and whatnot, like golfing, uh golf, you know, two, three times during the summertime, try to sneak out during the season. I’m not that great, but you know, I can I can hit a solid ball, which I’m proud of, which I think most golfers should be proud of, but uh it’s also just, you know, right now just trying to figure out what, you know, basketball’s going to be like. um something you know I’ve been doing research on you know what avenues I could go down internships about you know what I could exactly do but something I want to be involved with sports of basketball um so I’m just trying to figure out that part of life I figure you know I’ve you know I know how to get my daily routine and my day job keep the main thing the main thing but also you know start poking my head outside seeing what else is out there for me um because you know we all know we can’t play basketball forever um you know thankfully I made you generational money where, you know, I don’t really have to worry about too much of that. But it’s also, you know, I still want to have a purpose in life. You know, I’m a big guy that feels like you have to have some type of purpose in life. So that’s it. You know, I’m trying to search for without basketball, without playing basketball at least. So is that is that coaching? Is that like player relationship? Front office. I can see it’s front office or there are very few people who should be working with younger players, younger generations like you should be. They can learn a thing or two from you. I mean it’s tough. I mean I I think you know TA Yiannis know NBA players know the coaches you know that’s that’s a real grind. Um the hours they put in is is damn near double from what we put in. So yes I need to have a balance. I want to have a balance where I’m still able to enjoy life a little bit outside the gym um but still be around the game a little bit. So that those are things that you know I’m trying to figure out how I can make that work um if possible you know. No that’s that’s great. Uh, I didn’t I do want to ask you now about which one has been your favorite play you had with the Bucks? One your like one of your like favorite play you’ve ever had with the Bucks. And I’m going ask you the same after. My favorite play. Um, he’s like, “Man, I’ll never forget this play ever.” Actually, my favorite play might be, you know, the game winner against Miami Heat. Uh, I think that was the first year we made the playoffs. It was a big shot. It was over one of my favorite players, DWade. Um, and now I think yeah, that was just that season was the first I think jump myself and Giannis might have taken, you know, especially as a team where we weren’t necessarily considered like a great team or a team you need to be worried about. Um, that season was was hell for us and we called and fought our way to a playoff seat and I think that shot was uh was a big shot for us to to get a game ahead on somebody for the seating. Yes. you know. Um, what about you? Uh, my play or Chris? No, you your play. My play. Um, okay. Wait, I think he got a lot of them. Lot lot to pick from. But you know, Chris whenever he plays, he doesn’t show a lot of emotion, right? So maybe when it comes to the huddle, like if somebody’s like bsing, not giving like um not playing the right way for the team, he might he might say something. He might like snap, right? So I’m going say two things. won his game seven against Brooklyn, you know, down the stretch. I think uh Bruce Brown or somebody was guarding him and he drove right and spin and I was right there looking at the ball spin and made like a from the free throw like like a fairway and usually whenever he makes a shot he’s like it’s like this like his face is just like cold you know cold bloodooded and that was the first time I saw him like that was the first time you went back like I think that was more of a cramp y know I was tired that was a cramp Everyone was tired, man. But I was happy I made that shot though. I think that it was more of an exhale, more of a relief cuz we all know what that series was for us and that shot was more of a relief, but I was tired also. The the other one of the other funny stories, we were like the year we won the championship, right? It was like u maybe the fifth game of the season, right? Me and Chris, we’ve been like this. Like no matter like what’s going on in our lives, no matter like if we hang out, don’t don’t hang out. We like once we get on the court, we know what the assignment is. And the assignment is to win always, you know. And there was this play in Miami like I I remember I remember the play. I I’m spinning and Chris like, “Hey, hey, G, go through.” Because once I go through, I know exactly what he’s thinking. I’mma take the attention. I be the decoy and he go get open three, right? So I know exactly. But I was tired. I’m like, “No, no, man. You run.” He’s like, “No, you got to go through.” I said, “I’m tired of running, man. You run.” You know? So, we’re going back and forth. And I can see everybody because everybody came to the team like for us and like Drew, Bobby, for all this. Can I can I can I introduce and add something to that? Nobody wanted to say [ __ ] Yeah. Nobody we was watching you argue and you know sometimes I I’ll say something yell at each other like that either. The rarest times we did. Yeah. They never did. And I was watching you guys like go back and forth, go back and forth. And people are like, you know, usually because I’m the guy who was like, “Hey, bro, chill chill.” They looked at me. I’m like, “Hey, that’s that’s big money right there. That let them talk. Let So So we going back and forth. We’re going back and forth. Nobody said nothing. We come out of the huddle and then all of a sudden the Chris get the ball.” I said, “What he do? You throw it blindly. I took it up. I took a lamp and then look at us. [ __ ] What the?” Yeah. Yeah, they were just going back and forth and no matter what we do, if we go back and forth, that was our our only argument that we ever had on the basketball court. We are going to do what it takes to win. And that was one of the things that um solidified for me too because I’m like, man, I was just arguing with this guy. These guys just threw me the love, no look pass for me to get a easy two. And there was one other um there was one other story that I wanted to say. You you were saying something. No, I I don’t I just that just said you guys said something about Brooklyn. I just feel like it’s a it’s a good space. I don’t know if we have time. It’s a great space to discuss that series because that series to me, you know, remember do you guys remember at all what I was yelling at the at the locker room? Like I’m saying about the 30 for 30. You remember that? Yeah. Yeah. I kept yelling guys one more half. We beat them. They’re gonna make a 30 for30 that we beat them. which was crazy because, you know, like the way we were and and just the way, you know, these guys played down the stretch and the and and I remember specifically because he said something about exhaling like like we played amazing. We like after game three and three and four, we were supposed to win game five, right? And KD went crazy and they was like, “Okay, game six, we beat them and then we go back game seven and we’re playing great and we’re hitting shots, blah, blah, blah.” And I don’t remember it might it might be a play that uh what was the play before KD stepped on the line. Was it the play with Brooke? Was it a play like somebody passed it? Brook. Yeah, the Brook play. Yeah, he didn’t shoot it. Brooke didn’t shoot the ball. He didn’t shoot it. And everybody was so agitated and I’m like, “Oh god, please let’s not lose like this because I’m like I’m seeing you sweating. You’re giving everything you have. Giannis is like you guys are playing. Drew is guarding Katie. talk is coming off screens, blocking. I’m like, “Oh, God, please.” I’m in the best. I’m like, “God, please don’t let’s not lose like this because this is supposed to be our series now.” And he steps on the line. He steps on the line, bro. Yeah. Yeah. Bro, this what people for people forget this that he was about to hit the same shot because it was overtime. Oh, yeah. He had exactly the same shot to win the game. And he went short. You remember that? Yes, he did. I remember. You remember that? I remember. Yes, bro. When bro, he was like deja vu. I said, “Uh oh.” And then he went short underneath the basket. He went short. I’m like, “Thank God, bro.” Because if Brook had shot the ball, it would have been over. Yeah. It wouldn’t been over. He just didn’t shoot it. But I I want to say, what was your feeling going to that series? Going to Man, that Yeah, that series. I think that serious seriously took, you know, some life, some years off my life. You know, I think for the next, you know, couple years, I had PTSD walking to that building just, you know, from KD, the terror that he gave us. Um, throughout that whole series with James going down and Kyrie going down, it was just like, we got to win it. And he gave them everything, everything the last second of game seven forced to pull it through. But no, that was most that was the most stressful series that I think I ever been through. I think that series helped us win the finals. Um because being down 02 against, you know, um Brooklyn before, we weren’t phased as much as I think we should have been just because we had just been in a situation like that and like I think we we realized we got lucky um and and you know, advance from that, but we knew all right, we just have to go home, take it one game at a time. We got to win the first game uh first game at home in the finals, then the second game. But that series, man, it’s something I think about all the time. I think it’s one of those series where I think it’s just, you know, one of the best ones I think I’ve been a part of for sure and seen just with, you know, the way KD was playing, how he carried that whole team. It’s it’s still unreal. Did you guys know so your angles on the floor, did you think it was a three? Yes. Yes. We all thought it was a We all thought he gamed us. Yes. I’m not gonna go. Ask Chris if he wants. We all thought he gained us. I I had I had a panic attack right after he tried it. No, when the ball went through the net, I started having a panic attack. We all did. I started looking. I said, “No, no effing way.” And it was like, “Oh, okay. We got him.” Yes. Okay, we got it. When he stepped on the line, I was like, “We got him.” Going back to that huddle, too, it was just like you could see on everybody’s face, you were like, “Holy shit.” Like, first of all, we got lucky, but this just like he’s unreal. like we we might lose this if we’re not careful with him. And like thankfully he just ran out of gas at the end, but everybody’s face you can see like we might have effed this up. We we we messed up our chance to advance because this dude is just he it was unreal. Insane, man. And what people don’t remember, he came back from Achilles. Yeah. Mhm. Achilles. And that was the second game he did that to us. like he did that game five like game five which I remember that as well when we went left the game and it was like we had a chance to just go boxing six right and finish it uh bro like even you know he said something you know just us being lucky I do believe in luck I you know I’m proud of it my family like I do believe in that but you know what I do believe too I believe you push yourself so hard that you’re right there for you to be like you’re right there because if we would have gave up a 200 would have been done with Dusk. You don’t come back from three. We would have been done. We would have been like I said, “Let’s go. Everybody’s going. We go. You guys are going to the Olympics. We’re going to the we’re trying to fight for the Olympics or whatever the case would have been.” Blah, blah. But and he helped us when he changed the momentum against Phoenix. I was just going to say, so you guys were down. So, it’s like you’ve been here before. Yeah. But this is this is the next question I want to ask him. You remember it was a picture with Shu and Drew being down to Yeah. Right. and and it was and it was just you guys sitting in the in the press conference and they’re like, “You’re you guys are down 200 from the Phoenix Suns in the NBA finals.” And you’re like, “Yeah, all right.” And Drew’s like, “Yeah, sure. Sure.” I mean, you know what? What was that? How it was, man, it it was just a coincidence. like me and Drew really didn’t mean it to be disrespectful or laughing, but it was just funny because we knew we were going to ask that question and we were in the locker room or heading towards the the media uh press conference just talking through the game, talking through the series, talking about what we need to do and literally the first question we had just been talking about was it. So that’s why we both look at each other like here it comes like and it was just basically about how we have to adjust. Like people don’t realize Giannis Giannis uh didn’t finish the Atlanta series. Like playing with Giannis and playing without Giannis is a huge difference with the team. Um just because he needs the ball, we need him to have the ball so we all can be effective. And when he’s not, we all have to play a different type of game. So him coming back, we all have to adjust our game again. And I think it took that one or it took a game and a half to figure that out again because in the playoffs, it happens fast. Season, you know, we’re able to catch a rhythm. you could drop a game or two, but in the finals, we had to figure that out fast. And that’s what we were trying to figure out. We was like, “All right, we got to figure out how, you know, first off, to come out, get out of this O2 hole, get the first game, and we got to figure out how to play around Big Fellow again for us all to be successful.” And I think that that was the question that that had both of us both of us laughing. We were just like, “Man, this is this is just funny.” And you know, Drew Drew Drew’s very funny, quiet, sarcastic guy that you know, got a definitely a good sense of humor. Um, so yeah, that’s that’s what that kind of moment was about. And like when we saw the picture, we knew we’re going to get killed for it cuz I don’t think I realized I smiled or laughed like that cuz you know, it’s a terrible look to be smiling, laughing, and finally down 02. But it’s life. That’s life. Sometimes you got to move on with certain things. Yeah. But the pictures the the picture turned out to be iconic. Iconic. It did. No, I did. Me and Drew still laugh about it and talk about it from time to time, too. It’s definitely the picture that’s going to go up in my office or house somewhere. He wasn’t here, but in the beginning, he was telling me like now he’s the oldest. I was like, “Oh, bro, I’m the oldest.” He’s like, “We have a lot of lottery picks and stuff like that.” Does he feel like I like what is what do you think? And obviously, I don’t want to put you on the spot, right? But what do you think is a uh is success for these kids? Like what is it? Is it them saying like, “Hey, we’re going to make a run to the playoffs and now and and compete.” Is it because you know Washington has been in a kind of rebuilding mode for a minute now, right? And now bringing you in like what is what is the things they expect from you? Have you talked to them? Have you obviously you’ve talked to them for me? I mean for my role is you know first to be a basketball player. You know I’m not here to retire. I’m here to play basketball. Help them win games. Help them build their organization up. Yes, sir. Um, but then also is, you know, letting these the these guys grow. I mean, they put the work in. I think that’s the most important thing is they believe in their talent. Um, which I think is extremely important. Like, you have to have confidence as a young player playing because you could be demoralized fast by how many games we’re losing. Me and Yiannis won 15 games, never won, didn’t win two games in a row our first year in Milwaukee. And your confidence can be taken from you. Um, so that’s something that that I love about them. Their confidence is always high because they believe in the work that they putting in. They they understand that the results may not come now, but eventually if they keep putting stacking those days, putting that work in that eventually it can happen if they put the right work in. And and uh that’s something that, you know, I literally been through. Um so it it’s fun. It’s refreshing. Like I’ve been telling a lot of people like I I see now, you know, what I was going through um you know, when I was Milwaukee. Now I’m I’m that Zaza. I’m that Kuran. Uh I’m I’m OJ juice, you know, all those guys. Seeing the young guys, you know, get after how hungry they are, how much they want to be great, but not exactly having that experience yet, but trying to get there. Yes. I wanted to ask you, so now this brought me to the question that I just you just just popped in my head like how was that season for you guys, Yanni? Like how was that season when you guys I mean obviously you coming from overseas, so you’re like, “Okay, we just want to win games, but like you you was already in the NBA, right? The Yeah. Yeah. Second already, right? like how was that you guys just winning 15 games kind of like you guys being the projects and kind of building for me I I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I I had no idea. I was just happy that I was in the NBA. Yeah. I’m not going to lie to you. But you know like from the team that we came uh in Greece we like we had the best winning percentage in the country the last five years. By Yeah. By the way, Tony, I don’t know if you know this like we we was a team that we have we we never lost the championship championship for like four years straight. Yeah. like we never like we wasn’t we didn’t lose maybe like three games in a season. So this that first year was that was all new to you. It was losing it was new. But at the same time I was just happy that I was like NBA player, you know, I’m able to be around the guys. I was going to the Staple Center. I was going to TD Garden, you know, I’m like going to all these arena, United Center and playing the basketball game. Like this is man, I’m living the dream, man. Like that’s what I was thinking, you know, I didn’t know no better. But after afterwards when the first year uh went by and we didn’t win two games in in a row and then the coaching staff changed and then J Kid came and we started we won like 41 games and we went to the playoffs. Then I realized I wanted I need I wanted more like I wanted this environment. I wanted to be around like you know high pressure situation like winning culture, winning basketball. I loved it. I craved it again. But my first year, I’ll be honest with you, like I really did not like it at all. I was thinking about just like, “Hey, man. Can I get my 15, 20 minutes, man? I get my I get my dog. I get you know what I’m saying? You know, improve, lift some weights and get out of here.” What What What about you, Chris? How was it? Man, it’s it’s weird because you shouldn’t say this as, you know, a competitor, but I feel like that was one of the best years I had just because there’s really no expectations. I mean, it was just all they told us like, “Go out, play as hard as you can, and we’re gonna evaluate y’all based on how y’all play.” So, I mean, it’s not pressure on winning games, playoff games. It’s just, “All right, they’re giving us a chance. Let’s try to take advantage of it.” So, I think that’s where it’s fun. And like said, the the culture changed when JK came. I think that’s when we realized, all right, this ain’t just and giggles. Like, we’re not here just to have fun. Like, we’re here to put in work. We’re here to become winners. Um, so that I think that that’s what I think about, you know, my first year there going to my second year was just, you know, I getting a chance to play. I’m happy. Like Jon said, like I was coming in a suit and tie like we had to wear jackets on the bench back then if you didn’t play. Yes, they Yes, we did. They changed the dress code, Tony. I remember that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. On the plane, you had to wear a suit and tie on the plane. On the plane. On the plane. Yeah. Business casual. You couldn’t wear sweats like no hoes in the jeans. So yeah, every every game I was in a jacket most times. So now I got the uniform on. Like I’m happy, bro. Let’s get it. Like let’s go out there, hoop, like not worry about much. Um but then like I said, when on whence when JK came, he turned he turned the switch. And I think we we we all needed that. I think myself and Giannis definitely needed that because it it pushed us. Um it was the start of, you know, great careers. What’s your relationship with JK now? I, you know, I don’t talk to him, uh, through message or what not, but when I see him, you know, I always say what’s up to him and whatnot. You know, I got a lot of respect for him. I spend a lot of time with him in the office, uh, just talking about life, you know, talking about basketball, talking about, you know, off the court, talking about, you know, some of the stuff that he been through. He taught me a lot, man. Um, so he’s definitely one of my favorite coaches that I’ve had. That’s good. That’s good. I I I was sit down now here and kind of now you guys are saying all this and I remember me being the first three four years like on the outside and I was like, “Hey man, you guys are doing a great job. You guys are winning.” And I remember you guys had a a series in Boston, you know, and you and you won that one and you lost another one that you guys was playing like crazy that you had was playing so much, man. You took him to was it game seven? Like you really took him to Yeah, that was It was a shot I think it was it was a shot that I can’t remember this but it was I think it was a shot from the 45 but like away from the 45 I remember Chris I made right what series was that do you guys remember that was that was the first time we played Boston in the playoffs I think yeah that was game one I hit that shot I would I would literally argue and this I don’t think it’s a hot take I think it’s actually fact that you guys really been the process the process of you know how we say like process in the NBA I mean the Sixers will say know the time as well like kind of the the process of the NBA like building talent like letting talent work but you have to have that fire like if you don’t have this fire if you’re not competitive enough they you will be they will eat you up in the NBA if you don’t have this I don’t know how to say it it’s something that discipline you got to have this not only that you know what I mean like that fire that fire that fire like you guys when you guys talk about each other you guys love each other respect each other so much and you’re so competitive believe you’re so competitive and want and want together like and learn how to play together and not out of saying like oh somebody guys somebody made you uh have to learn how to play with each other no from from experience from say like hey I need you to win you know that doesn’t like that’s what it takes to to build become this you know and Jiannis said something before about you guys not being highly drafted not being all these things you know not being expectation like oh this guy was going to you know Janice was a draft and stash guy, you know, even though he went 15, he was probably a draft and stash guy. Like I and somebody believed in me and said like, “Hey, come in and and showed like how how you guys work.” Like I was very very impressed when I when I came to um to to the Bucks and Coach B was like, “Hey man, you just going to come here? You know, first year you might not get a lot of play. You might be, you know, active inact.” At the time it was active, inactive. There was no two ways, no like just active inactive. And I remember we were playing a game in Houston and Houston went up like 19 points and you know in Europe if you go up 19 points it’s done. It’s over. I’m like and I know I turn in the best bet. I’m like what are we doing? Like why guys like this? And then you guys picked them apart and came back to the game won the game with Bledo with you him everybody. And I said wow this is what it is. And I remember my my first year we beat everybody and then COVID hit, you know, every like everybody was was like, “Oh my god, we’re going to we’re just going to cakewalk.” That’s all I was like, “Bro, it’s incredible. This team is so good that we was going to cakewalk, you know, with Brook Lopez, Rob Lopez, Jan, KV, Wesley Matthews, Etledo, George Key, like all these team. And I was like, “Wow, there’s so many great players and everybody looks up to these two guys from Eric Ber.” Like everybody like, and mind you, you know what I’m trying to say? Like, and obviously I might be biased, but you know, everybody sees him as Jiannis, but I see him as my brother. And I’m like, “Wow, all these guys look up to these two guys to lead them.” Yeah. I don’t even think it’s biased, too, to be honest. from an outsider perspective, obviously not in the locker room, but like y’all won y’all won 15 games and then you took the franchise to the first playoff series win in 17 years. Like that was a huge deal for Milwaukee and for Bucks fans. It was from 2001 when Ray Allen and them made that run. You guys win that series, then you get to the Eastern Conference Finals, then you get it done. Like the way that that story is told, like I mean, let’s we can just be real. Like it’s two egoless superstars, right? like it doesn’t happen anymore and like that story ta you said the Nets were going to get a 30 for30 like that team needs the whole process 30 for 30 I was like when we when we was beating the Nets I was like hey remember they will make a 30 for30 you know I love 30 for30s I watch all the I was like they will make a 30 for30 after we beat this team with Kyrie uh Katie and everybody and just the process of all doing all of these things and who’s on the team etc. But what’s wild is Brandon Jennings will still say like, “Yeah, I was I I was part of that process.” Cuz he was in the trade that brought you here. Yes. He wasn’t on the team, but he was like, I was part of I was part of that process, you know. But now, okay, let me let me let’s let’s uh live the Bucks a little bit. Let’s go. Let’s focus on Chris because I know guys we have limited time. I don’t want to keep Chris here game tomorrow or day after, you know. And thank you so much, Chris, for you know, doing the show and thank you for you coming in because you know, you know, I told him it was going to be you. He was like, “You know what? I want I want to I want to sit down.” And then, you know, I called him. I was like, “Hey, come ask him and kind of join the conversation.” You fell out the house, man. That don’t happen too often. Exactly. Exactly. And I had my laptop ready. I got my my chips ready. I got my ready ready to hydrate after, you know, I was ready, man. This is a red opportunity. This is legendary for me. It’s it’s it’s amazing. Uh, but I wanted to ask you, you know, I’ve seen like, you know, how they do the pictures like memes when you have a great game and they’re like squint and it’s like and it’s MJ and you’re squinting a little bit and then it’s Chris, like it’s Kobe and then it’s Chris. Like, do you did you ever like model their game from them? Because the way, bro, the mid, the way you come off the footwork, like what would you how would you For sure, man. I watch I watch tons of uh YouTube film on on Kobe, Jordan, and KD. uh there’s just some of the pur scorers um that can score from all levels that seen every type of defense that can go both ways um that have tremendous footwork that can play on and off the ball. So those are the main guys that I’ve always watched just because you know how they play um they’re efficient at what they do um and they know how to manipulate you know defenses and defenders you know without doing a whole lot of too much within the offense in isolation which I love. So, no, it’s definitely I I’ve seen the videos. I’ve seen the memes where which I think it’s hilarious. Um because I I trust me, I Yiannis knows I wish I had that athleticism as those guys do. No, you do have because I’ve seen it. You can’t say you don’t have athletics because I’ve seen you Doug and I’ve seen you like, you know what I’m saying? Get out there. Flashes flashes. I have my rare moments from time to time. But, uh but no, I I try to take, you know, the basic fundamentals from those guys. those I think people don’t realize how skillful and how basic their fundamentals are. Um, and that’s something that I’ve always tried to take from them because you don’t have to be super fast or super strong to learn those things. Um, and that’s, you know, how I’ve scored, you know, many points in the post on the elbow, um, in the mid-range just by, you know, studying those guys. Yeah, I want to jump in with one more here because we’re going to, we’re recording this obviously right before the game. As we kind of said before, we’re going to edit through the night to make sure this goes up. Chris, I know Giannis, you said what you said about the tribute video and uh there better be some tears. Uh he’s not going to cry. I I say one, what would it take to get you to cry before a game? Um but also just what are you kind of expecting coming back? Man, look, I’m I’ve been trying to visualize uh you know, since from the time I land up until we leave about what it’s going to be like there just because I know it’s going to be a lot for me. Um, you know, y’all know I’m not very emotional, but you know, being in Milwaukee all those years, you know, the things that I’ve accomplished, you know, the life I’ve lived with my family, um, man, it was a dream. Like, it honestly was to play against to play with an MVP. Like, not a lot of people get to say say that. Hall of Famer. Um, somebody that was halfway across the world. Like, never would I thought in a million years like I’ll be playing with some dude from Nigeria or Greece. Like, we’ll be linked up teammates. and and you know and having you know a a great winning percentage. Um so when you take kind of all those things about what I’ve done individually um as far as you know being an all-star which is something that you know Hall of Famer yes Hall of Fame% an allstar but an all-star uh was like one of the first n where I’m like okay this place has helped me become an all-star helped me accomplish a lot of my dreams. So that’s just something that, you know, I’ve I keep trying to visualize, get it out the way so I won’t be too emotional in front of everybody. You know, I’m a private guy. I’m a a quiet guy. So I try to, you know, visualize things. So, you know, I’m able to embrace it, love it, take it, receive it, however you want to say it, that that that love, the appreciation that I’m getting, take it a sign and take it as a sign of respect. Um because you know Milwaukee has meant so much to me in my career and they’ve done so much for me in my career that you know I’ll always be thankful for for that organization in that city. And Milwaukee respects you obviously right back too like as from that perspective from a fan. There’s going to be more tonight. Tomorrow might be the first time there’s more 22 jerseys than 34 in five. I don’t want to see no 34 jerseys in there. No. No. You know what I I want to I want to because I don’t want you know guys getting emotional. I don’t want to I want to want to take away from that and I want to say something funny. You said Allstar, bro. There’s a play that you go for a shot at the All-Star game. Block your shot, bro. No, hold on. Hold on. Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. I want to talk about that story. That’s how we end our podcast. You you you um making me look like the bad guy here. Hold on. No, let’s hear Let’s hear his stories inside first and then we hear the sliders first. Okay, good. curse. So, first I’m like, damn, somebody blocked me. I turn around like it’s just of course like I know him. Like, you see, yeah, that that look like that’s how you know he’s like, “Oh, yeah.” He was lining me up the whole time. We talked so much during practice when we get the chance to go against each other that I knew he was waiting for that moment. He act like he didn’t do it or he didn’t know. He knew it was me and I he was reflex. It was reflex. So, you say your side of the story. Yeah. first year that we were all stars together. I think he was in Charlotte. If you go, you can pull up the clips. I’m coming down with the ball. I’m looking look Chris. Where was Chris? I threw the ball to Chris. He knocked down a shot. You know what I’m saying? That was teammates. Okay. It was teammates. That was teammates. You know what I’m saying? So when we teammates, I’m Hey, I’m going look out for my guy, right? But now we on a different team now. And that’s free game. It’s free game. He went he went for the dunk. I went to that mother. But he was he was funny. It was funny. It was funny. But but not a lot of people can say that. Not a lot of people can say what you said. And you know, you guys playing together. Uh I’ve been blessed to be a part of all of this on the side in the beginning in involved and winning a championship with you guys. That’s like I don’t know. That’s if somebody doesn’t say that’s one of the best things you could have ever done in in the league winning with a team. Winning with a team, you know, right? and um a team, not a super team, but a team of super players. That’s how I say it. A team of super players, super characters, and that’s what mattered to us. Uh wow, it’s always, we’re coming towards the end of the podcast, right? It just a for the Bucks listening to this, retire the jersey, build the statue, just make it happen now. 22 in the Raptors, it’s going to happen. This it’s a fact. And the jersey is going to be retired and the statue going to be there. It’s going to happen. It’s a fact. And and and it’s welld deserved and he’s earned and it’s I don’t know. No. I don’t know if I Now I just got to break the three-point record now. He wants to Now he wants to crack the He can have he can have any record he want over there. Just set for that one. I need one that I’m a th Wait. I’m 953s away. Hold up. Hold up. But I got But but I got a question. Where are you in the old time threes? like technology. You’re like top 10 in the threes in the movie. I I have to be. I’ve made like 500 of those [ __ ] man. Okay. Okay. Hey, I have to be. But he’s like now he’s number one. Of course he’s number one. I’m right there though. 150. He was so crazy. He said that with coach Bud, he became more like with the three. So that’s the span of what, five years now? Six years. No, no, he was making threes. Like he was making threes. Yeah. It was more of like JK was encouraging me to shoot more catches, shoot threes when they were available. Well, added, you know, the dribble dribble threes, pull up threes in transition, pick and roll threes. I was more going to the mid-range for those a lot. Like with Coach Bad, he it was volume, you know, volume volume. He he shot like he could shoot like 8, 10, 12 a game. Yeah. I was coach B would not say we want to shoot 45. I remember we was we want to shoot 45. Yeah, you got it. So you have 528. 528. Chris has 1382. I just made So I said 950 is 850. Yeah. So, I just made 100 threes right now. So, I’m 100 I’m The countdown is on Chris. 854 till Y breaks your record. I am I’m breaking it. I’m one by one. Break by one by one. Okay. So, hey, uh for people watching, people are listening. We’re coming towards the end of the show. Thank you so much. Please don’t forget to follow Chris. Go follow him on all his socials. Uh Twitter, X, Tik Tok, I don’t know if he has Tik Tok, Instagram. Please follow his journey. He’s an amazing person and he has so much more to give to to the game of basketball and like he he’s an amazing person. Uh please like, share, subscribe to the show. Remember it’s analysis presented by group of law group law offices. Uh and whatever you you know wherever you watch your podcast, wherever you get your podcast from, we’re available in every platform. We’re everywhere. Yeah. And if you want to watch it on YouTube, of course, it’s going to be amazing episode. You guys are going to enjoy this. Um and again, thank you guys so much. Thank you again, Chris. Analysis. I appreciate y’all, man. Love, man. I see you Wednesday, man. Don’t stand up in that room, Yiannis. I’m telling you. Hey, hey, you know trailer. Hey, you know I don’t jump no more. I’m taking charges this year. I’m taking charges this year. What? Why you guys laughing, man? I’m serious.

Brothers for life.

As the Washington Wizards visit the Milwaukee Bucks to start the 2025-26 NBA season, it will bring the return of Khris Middleton to Milwaukee. Where he played for more than a decade and won the 2021 NBA Championship. A fan favorite, Middleton sits down with Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Tony Cartagena on the latest episode of Gruber Law Office’s Thanalysis. Plus, a SURPRISE appearance from Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Timestamps:

01:30 – Introduction of Khris Khash Money Middleton
04:45 – Veteran in the locker room
07:00 – The Mt. Rushmore of Milwaukee Bucks
09:30 – First time meeting Giannis
10:45 – Giannis Antetokounmpo JOINS THE SHOW
15:00 – Relationship with Mike Budenholzer
20:45: Earned each other’s respect
25:00 – Meeting Thanasis for the first time
28:00: THE TRADE
35:00 – Middleton scores 51
40:00 – Winning at all costs
45:00 – Revisiting the 2021 Nets Series
51:00 – I’m not here to retire
55:00 – Relationship with Jason Kidd
01:00:00 – The Giannis and Middleton story
01:03:00 – Tribute Video
01:06:00 – NBA All-Star Game
01:09:00 – Thank you, Khris!

Thanalysis is also presented by Potawatomi Casino Hotel, The Prisoner Wine Company, Candy Fun House and McDonald’s.
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Thanks for watching the video REUNITED: NBA All-Star Khris Middleton’s EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Thanasis and Giannis Antetokounmpo