Though not for the right reasons, Thanasis Antetokounmpo has been the talk of the town on social media. Supporters have been critical of Thanasis, with some claiming that his brother Giannis was the sole reason he was able to secure a spot with the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Dame has TA’s back.
Damian Lillard addressed the matter in an interview with Complex Sports and was quick to stand up for Thanasis against the hateful comments on the internet.

“Here’s the thing about TA. People try to be funny but I would put good money that a lot of those people talking on Twitter wouldn’t be able to beat him in the game of one-on-one. Like his defensively, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s athletic, he’s competitive. It’s disrespectful. I see a lot of stuff on social media about TA, there’s people who think they are more talented or have more ability, but they could never take his spot. You’re not going to find a guy that’s more about the team and shows up and works hard,” Dame said.

Vouching for Thanasis’ work ethic

Lillard conveyed his admiration for TA, stating that his contribution to the Bucks cannot be replaced. The eldest Antetokounmpo brother is a fantastic locker room person who works hard, according to Dame. Dame Time believes that some people’s judgement of Thanasis is unfair because of this.

“He’s always in the weight room, always on the court getting his work in. He says the right stuff to the team. He has locker room energy every day. I mean, he’s the top of the line at his role on our team. And I have a hard time thinking anybody could replace him at what he does for our team. It’s easy to talk on the internet, but being somebody that’s behind closed doors with him, I respect him a lot. I think if people got to know him and got to see what he puts into it, they wouldn’t be joking as much,” Lillard.

Thanasis, who was selected by the New York Knicks with the 51st overall choice in the 2014 NBA Draft, has spent the last five seasons with the Bucks. He played for the Bucks, who were the 2021 NBA Champions.

With just 4.6 minutes of playing time per game this season, TA has already participated in 23 games and averaged 1.0 points, 0.4 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.1 steals, and 0.2 blocks.