After leading Greece to a hard-fought bronze medal at EuroBasket 2025, Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t just walk away with hardware, he walked away with the final word. In a press conference following Greece’s 92–89 victory over Finland, the two-time NBA MVP responded to a pointed critique from Turkish star Alperen Şengün, who had previously labeled Giannis “not a great passer” following Turkey’s semifinal win over Greece.
Giannis didn’t name names. He didn’t raise his voice. But his message was unmistakable.
“I’m a guy who doesn’t like to talk a lot. You know, I let my game talk,” he said. “I’m going to my 13th season in the NBA. I’ve won everything. Everything.”
For Giannis, the bronze medal wasn’t just another accolade, it was the missing piece. Despite his NBA championship, Finals MVP, two league MVPs, and Defensive Player of the Year honors, international success had eluded him. Until now.
“This was the thing that I hadn’t won. And I won,” he said. “I have an incredible family. I think I have incredible people who support me every single day. I’ve built incredible relationships. And I love to carry myself that way.”
His words weren’t just a rebuttal, they were a reflection of his journey. From selling DVDs on the streets of Athens to becoming one of the most respected figures in global basketball, Giannis has always let his actions speak louder than criticism.
Şengün’s comments came after Turkey’s dominant 94–68 win over Greece in the semifinals. While praising Giannis as an “amazing player,” Şengün added, “He’s not a great passer,” suggesting that Greece’s offense stalled because of Giannis’ limitations as a playmaker.
Rather than fire back, Giannis chose a different route.
“I’m not the guy that will talk back to coaches or players or people that say bad things about me,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter because at the end of the day, you won’t remember what they say. You’ll remember how I respond.”
And respond he did; with 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 assists in the bronze-medal game.
In one of the most memorable lines of the press conference, Giannis invited critics to do their homework.
“You can go see my clips on YouTube. And then come back and ask me if I’m a good person. There you go. That’s it.”
It was vintage Giannis: humble, direct, and quietly defiant.
With the bronze medal, Giannis has finally delivered for his national team, ending a 16-year drought and cementing Greece’s return to relevance on the international stage. Under new head coach Vassilis Spanoulis, the team showed grit, unity, and promise for the future.
