Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Ladder Beef With 76ers’ Montrezl Harrell: Explained
Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t have many obvious flaws in his game, but if there was one, it would probably be his ability to make free throws.
Over the past three years, Antetokounmpo has traditionally struggled with free throws. For the majority of his career, his percentages have fluctuated, and he also takes a very long time to make the shots.
And boy, did he have trouble with them on Friday against the 76ers. In the contest, he had a 4-15 line performance.
He was so awful that, following the 76ers victory, he returned to the court actually to drill his free throws.
That’s where the conflict all began.
Here’s exactly what happened between Giannis and Montrezl pic.twitter.com/d9o1YFZ7bf
— Marc (@TheTrueRealest) November 19, 2022
Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Ladder Beef With 76ers’ Montrezl Harrell: Explained
After Philadelphia defeated Milwaukee 110-102, Antetokounmpo wished to work on his free throw technique. In the Bucks’ defeat, the two-time NBA MVP missed 11 of his 15 free throw tries, lowering his season free throw percentage to a career-low 58.7 per cent.
The Wells Fargo Center saw an odd incident develop when Sixers big man Montrezl Harrell objected to an opponent returning to the court after the final buzzer.
“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.”
– Giannis
(Via ESPN) pic.twitter.com/CQHYIlkKcQ— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 19, 2022
When Harrell and Jason Love of the 76ers entered the court, Antetokounmpo was shooting free throws. Harrell took the ball as he moved in the direction of the basket and did not hand it back to Antetokounmpo.
“This isn’t f— Milwaukee,” Harrell told Antetokounmpo, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. “Get that s— out of there.”
According to Vardon, Love warned Antetokounmpo that he couldn’t shoot after the game while standing between him and Harrell.
Giannis has been in the public eye for nearly a decade, and been a super super star for 5 years.
This is his first even kind of bad moment. I’m gonna go ahead and give him more than the benefit of the doubt, if that’s OK.
— nick wright (@getnickwright) November 19, 2022
Then, Antetokounmpo departed to finish his shooting drill while obtaining additional basketballs. But when he returned to the basket, he discovered that someone from the Wells Fargo Center had erected a ladder in front of the rim. Vardon claims that Antetkounmpo repeatedly urged the worker to relocate the ladder, but the worker consistently refused.
This quote from Giannis about trying to talk to Montrezl Harrell. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/sA6YaKwSHl
— Jim Kogutkiewicz (@jimmyfk) November 19, 2022
In a fit of rage, Antetokounmpo pushed the ladder out of the way.
While shooting at the other end of the court, Harrell told Antetokounmpo, “Yeah, I took the ball, get the f— outta here,” according to Vardon. “I’m doing my f—ing job,” Antetokounmpo replied. When Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Giannis’ brother and Bucks teammate, attempted to speak to Harrell after Giannis had left the floor, Harrell threatened Thanasis, saying, “I’ll beat your ass” and “You better send that s— back to the locker room,” per Vardon. Thanasis walked away from Harrell without incident.
Serge Ibaka: "Do you feel like you are the face of the league?"
Giannis: "No. LeBron is still playing. Steph just won a championship. KD is still hooping. Embiid is killing. Jokic back-to-back MVP. Luka Magic. There's a lot of people out there."pic.twitter.com/N8yXEooIsh
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 16, 2022
Giannis Antetokounmpo Spoke To The Media
Antetokounmpo spoke to reporters more than an hour after the game had ended, saying that he has “never tried to disrespect anyone in any way, shape or form.”
“I respect every player,” Antetokounmpo said (via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps). “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 love everything about this story. Philly union worker who just wants to go home and doesn’t give a shit about Giannis. Giannis being a true superstar trying to work on his game late night. I want everybody to act exactly how they acted in this. https://t.co/1yPRjRPmIT
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) November 19, 2022
“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.”
🤔 ESPN showed @Giannis_An34 knocking down the ladder but did not show Joel Embiid’s cheap shot flagrant forearm in the highlights . I wonder why? #Bucks
— Mike Jocko Jacques (@jockosports) November 19, 2022
He added that he didn’t mean to knock the ladder down and didn’t feel the need to apologise because it was “my right for me to work on my skills after a horrible night at the free throw line.”
Montrezl Harrell’s Response
Harrell sent out a tweet early Saturday morning addressing the postgame altercation.
Have compiled videos from last night's Giannis Antetokounmpo/Montrezl Harrell altercation into one here.
I included timestamps for the videos I was able, using the arena clock in background.
Link on top of the video is to @JoeVardon's reporting, for full story of what occurred. pic.twitter.com/nMKRupBscY
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) November 19, 2022
“Aye make sure you get the complete story,” Harrell said. “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!”
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