The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81 during the NBA Cup championship on Tuesday night, and star player Giannis Antetokounmpo says he had extra motivation to bring home the victory.
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That is to say, throughout the In-Season Tournament Giannis had promised Bucks two-way player Liam Robbins a win, so he would be able to buy a house near his hometown in Iowa.
For those who don't know, every player (15-man roster) on the championship team receives $500,000 each, which is their share of the NBA Cup prize money.
Certainly this is a huge payout for someone like Robbins, as the rookie center has only played a total of 20 minutes for the Bucks this season.
Giannis always looking out for his teammates ♥️
He made sure that Bucks' two-way player Liam Robbins could get a house in his native Iowa with the #EmiratesNBACup prize money 🏆 pic.twitter.com/vtEOhI368q
— NBA (@NBA) December 18, 2024
"Some people, my teammates, got life-changing money," Giannis said following the Bucks' win. "We had this joke within the team, about our 2-way guy Liam [Robbins], I promised him from the first Cup game, I said we are going to go all the way and gonna get you a house in Iowa. So after every game, I'm like 'one step closer to your house in Iowa.'"
Even before the championship game, Giannis spoke on how the $500k will affect the young guys on his team.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo says he isn't thinking about the $500K that comes with winning the NBA Cup:
"It's life-changing money, okay. Obviously $500,000, you can put a down payment on a house... Personally, I try not to think about the money. For the game, I love playing… pic.twitter.com/FMdvm25g7j
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 16, 2024
"It's life-changing money, okay. Obviously $500,000, you can put a down payment on a house."
Considering that amount is the price of an actual above-average American home in the Midwest, some fans pointed out that maybe Giannis, who comes from humble beginnings, may have briefly lost a tiny bit touch with reality.
As one user on X responded: "A down payment on a house for 500,000? Giannis done forgot where he came from."
A down payment on a house for 500,000? Giannis done forgot where he came from😂😂😂
— Big5ive4 (@TheRealBig5ive4) December 16, 2024
All in all, Giannis delivered on his promise to Liam, as the 2x MVP put the team on his back vs. the Thunder, scoring a triple-double that included putting up 26 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists to go with three blocks and two steals.
Giannis delivered on his promise to rookie Liam Robbins ❤️
(via @r0bato) pic.twitter.com/uMVoyqltRh
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 18, 2024
Related: Bucks Coach Darvin Ham Has Now Won Back-To-Back NBA Cup Championships With 14-0 Undefeated Record
