“It’s not a failure, it’s steps to success” - Giannis
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo gave the perfect response to a reporter who asked if the season was a failure after their playoff elimination.
The Milwaukee Bucks were the top seed in the Eastern Conference to end the NBA regular season. But on Wednesday night, they were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs by the No. 8 Miami Heat (4-1). The Bucks tried to hang on, but the Heat pulled off a 16-point comeback to send the game to overtime and win it 128-126.
A disappointing loss, but not a failure
The Bucks’ Greek Freak Giannis Antetokounmpo, always classy, had the perfect response to a reporter who asked him if he viewed the season as a failure. The question clearly frustrated Antetokounmpo, who put his face in his hands and reminded the reporter that he asked him the same thing last year. So, he gave him a bit of perspective with a few comparisons.
“Do you get the promotion every year at your job? No, right? So, every year you work is a failure? Yes or no? No. Every year you work, you work towards something, towards a goal,” said Antetokounmpo. “It’s not a failure. It’s steps to success.”
“Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships. The other nine years was a failure? That’s what you’re telling me?” Antetokounmpo continued to make his point that the reporter’s question was baseless.
“There’s no failure in sports. Good days, bad days, some days you’re able to be successful, some days you’re not,” he said. “Some days it’s your turn, some days it’s not your turn. And that’s what sports are about. You don’t always win.”
Antetokounmpo’s perspective is the correct one to have after a loss like that - to see the losses as work in progress, building towards getting another championship. He reminded the reporter that in 50 years, no one will be talking about the one year they didn’t make it, but about the years they did.
“We were able to win one, hopefully we can win another.”