Giannis Antetokounmpo signs most lucrative deal in NBA history

Basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo has signed a contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks worth a reported $228.2m (£170.1m) – the most lucrative deal in NBA history.

Antetokounmpo, twice named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, has agreed a five-year deal with the Wisconsin team, which will see him stay with the Bucks until he turns 31.

Antetokounmpo took to social media in the wake of the announcement: “This is my home, this is my city,” the Athens-born forward said.

“I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next five years.

“Let’s make these years count – the show goes on, let’s get it.”

Antetokounmpo was named as the league’s MVP for the second season in-a-row

Alex Saratsis, Antetokounmpo’s agent, confirmed the details of the new contract to ESPN, with its value exceeding the $228m (£161.9m) earned by Houston Rockets guard James Harden in 2017.

The Bucks finished top of the Eastern Conference in 2020, leading the NBA with their regular-season record, but were defeated in the play-offs by eventual runners-up Miami Heat in the conference semi-finals.

Antetokounmpo was named as the league’s MVP for the second season in-a-row in September and was also crowned the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. The Greek forward is only the third player to achieve the feat, following Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon.

Last week, Antetokounmpo, when asked about the Bucks’ aspirations for 2021, said: “At the end of the day, the team is going to take care of what they’re going to do.

“Off the court, they tried to improve this team as much as possible. We’ve had the best regular-season team the last two years and that shows you that the team and the front office cares about improving the team every single year. Me, on the court, I’m going to try to improve individually and help my teammates improve, also.”

The 2020/21 NBA is set to begin on 22 December, with the regular-season reduced to 72 fixtures due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Bucks begin their campaign on 23 December on the road against the Boston Celtics, before hosting Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day.