Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that Clip of Giannis Antetokounmpo throwing down the ladder and disrespecting the employees of Wells Fargo Center after losing to the sixers goes viral. (Read More Here).
Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo has explained ladder incident after loss to 76ers.
Following Milwaukee's 110-102 loss to Philadelphia at Wells Fargo Center on Friday night, a strange scene unfolded between Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, 76ers reserve center Montrezl Harrell, and a ladder, culminating with Antetokounmpo pushing a 12-foot ladder out of his way and having it skid a few feet before falling on its side.
"I've never tried to disrespect anyone in any way, shape or form," Antetokounmpo said once he eventually spoke, more than an hour after the game. "I feel like today is just an unfortunate event that took place."
What set these events in motion was a second straight dreadful game at the free throw line for Antetokounmpo, who went 4-for-15 on Friday. This came after a 4-for-11 night at the line in Wednesday's victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
So, after returning to the locker room following Friday's game, Antetokounmpo came back to practice free throws.
It was at that point, however, that things took a very odd turn.
After Antetokounmpo made seven free throws in a row -- part of his routine of making 10 in a row every time he steps onto the court -- and had shot his eighth, Harrell took the ball and wouldn't give it back. He apparently was upset that Antetokounmpo was preventing him from getting in his own work ahead of Philadelphia playing the second half of a back-to-back against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
"I respect every player," Antetokounmpo said. "I know some players don't play now, they want to get some extra work, want to work on their skills and stuff, and I said, obviously we can shoot together. They said, they told me no, this is their court, I should leave. I was like, I have three more free throws, I was at seven, I want to try to make 10 in a row. I shot my eighth one. Came and took the ball away from me and I was very surprised. I feel like it's very unprofessional. I would never take the ball away from a professional athlete when he's trying to do his job."
Thanasis Antetokounmpo then tried to speak to Harrell at the other end of the court, leading to another discussion and Harrell leaving with the ball. By the time reporters were aware of what had happened, Harrell had left the locker room. The 76ers also declined to comment.
Harrell later tweeted his explanation.
"Aye make sure you get the complete story," Harrell wrote in his tweet. "I ask the man can he get off the court so I can workout they had to change the court over he ignore me so hey that's what you get! Respect is respect! GOODNIGHT!"
"Aye make sure you get the complete story," Harrell wrote in his tweet. "I ask the man can he get off the court so I can workout they had to change the court over he ignore me so hey that's what you get! Respect is respect! GOODNIGHT!"
Giannis Antetokounmpo said he then went and got two more balls from Philadelphia's locker room and came back to the court, hoping to finish his routine. By that time, arena workers had put a large ladder up in front of the basket.
A bizarre scene played out post-game after the Philadelphia 76ers earned a thrilling 110-102 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. The Sixers were playing without injured stars James Harden and Tobias Harris, and lost starting guard Tyrese Maxey to injury after halftime, but rode another brilliant performance from Joel Embiid to the win.
The Bucks had plenty of chances to pull ahead late, but they were done in partially by poor free throw shooting from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished 4-for-15 from the foul line. The drama started after the game when Antetokounmpo came out of the Bucks’ locker room to get some extra free throw practice on Philadelphia’s floor. The Athletic has details of what went down.
As Antetokounmpo was practicing his free throws, Sixers forward Montrezl Harrell started barking at Giannis and took his basketball. Sixers assistant Jason Love reportedly told Giannis he couldn’t shoot free throws on Philly’s court. So Antetokounmpo went into the Bucks’ locker room and returned with two more basketballs.
Giannis eventually went back to the locker room, and his brother Thanasis, a reserve forward on the Bucks, came out and talked to Harrell. The two players got into a verbal altercation, with Harrell reportedly says “I’ll beat your a–” before Thanasis walked away.
Giannis spoke about the situation after the game. Via ESPN:
“I don’t know if I should apologize because I don’t feel like I did anything wrong, except the ladder just fell. I feel like it’s my right for me to work on my skills after a horrible night at the free throw line. I think anybody in my position that had a night like me would go out and work on his free throws.
And via The Athletic:
“I never try to disrespect anyone, in any way shape or form,” Antetokounmpo said, an hour after the incident. “I feel like today was just unfortunate event that took place. I think people did not respect the fact that sometimes players want to get some extra work in. I think it’s unprofessional to kick somebody off the court or take the ball or whatever the case might be. Or put the ladder in front of somebody while he’s trying to do his job. We get paid to do this. They didn’t just pick us. We get paid.”
Antetokounmpo said: “You can go and ask (Harrell). I offered him to shoot, let’s shoot together.” He continued talking about the incident, via The Athletic:
“Meanwhile, I don’t understand this because there’s a basket right behind me. There was another basket behind me. And, he chose to come to take my ball, have his coach get in front of me, and kind of bully me away from the court and go to the other basket.
“I’m not going to try to fight somebody. I have kids now, I gotta save my money. But now, if you guys see that as disrespect, that’s on you.” (Read More Here).
No comments:
Post a Comment