“There’s a feeling that Giannis was very, very intrigued by the idea of one day being a teammate of Stephen Curry. There was at least a feeling that Giannis wanted to play with Steph… That was the feeling a lot of officials got during that soiree” said NBA insider Logan Murdock in a recent episode of Ringer NBA’s ‘Real Ones’ show. The ‘Greek Freak’ has been put on the trade pedestal more prominently than any other player in the recent off-season. In the aftermath of another disappointing playoff run, the whispers have turned into chatter.

So, NBA fans were on the lookout for any hints that would suggest Giannis being in consideration for an acquisition. The player himself dropped that hint by traveling to the Bay Area recently! However, as it turns out, he wasn’t alone, and his visit to San Francisco was for something else altogether.

X users recently reported that Giannis Antetokounmpo was seen waiting in the lobby of a San Francisco hotel. Several of them circulated a video confirming this, with the 6-foot-11 player being quite visible. However, he wasn’t alone, as his wife, Mariah Riddlesprigger, was standing right beside him. Furthermore, Giannis’s 3 eldest children, Liam (5), Maverick Shai (3), and Eva Brooke (1), were around their parents. Mariah was also carrying a ‘Baby Carry Cot’, which surely was carrying the couple’s newborn, Aria Capri.

Some skeptics might ask, “Can’t that video be old?” It’s a fair question—especially when trade rumors are involved, and circulating outdated clips can easily spark false narratives. But in this case, there’s no need to worry. Multiple reliable sources on X, including ‘Golden State Warriors Brasil’ and ‘GSWL’, have already verified the video’s authenticity. SF Gate also referenced it in a recent article. Plus, Aria Capri was born on May 1st, and no such video had surfaced online throughout the month—until now. So, it’s safe to say this footage is fresh and recent.

Some Warriors fans might’ve felt a jolt of excitement seeing the recent video—Giannis in California, family in tow? It looked like a sign. Maybe, just maybe, Dub Nation was about to welcome a new superstar. A fresh face to carry the torch. But that hopeful bubble popped quickly. Turns out, Giannis wasn’t in the Bay for basketball reasons at all. He was there for business—attending the annual Google I/O event at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, roughly 40 miles south of San Francisco. The tech giant’s showcase of AI and software updates, not a secret meeting with Joe Lacob, brought the Greek Freak to town.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been, for several years, the face of Google Pixel’s partnership with the NBA. He has been starring in its annual commercials ever since. So, his presence at the event was certainly not a surprise. Footage from inside the event also showed ‘The Greek Freak’ walking in front of the stage, to a major round of applause, while reportedly wearing Google’s new Android XR glasses.

Some might argue that Giannis Antetokounmpo could be doing 2 things at once. He could be attending the event, but also negotiating a deal with the Golden State Warriors while he is in California. However, would he be looking to leave the Milwaukee Bucks, now that his brother recently received some good news after months of anticipation?

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s elder brother, Thanasis, announces return to the NBA after recovery from Achilles Injury: “I’m back.”

Over the years, the NBA has embraced the power of family on the hardwood. From the Curry brothers lighting up arenas on opposite sides, to the historic debut of LeBron James and Bronny as the league’s first father-son duo, and of course, the rise of the Ball brothers—family ties have always brought an extra layer of emotion to the game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is no different. Since 2019, he’s shared the Bucks locker room with his older brother, Thanasis, turning Milwaukee into a family affair. Together, the Antetokounmpo brothers have been the NBA’s version of Thomas and Arthur Shelby—tough, loyal, and never backing down from a fight.

Unfortunately, an incident caused Thanasis to sustain a torn Achilles’ tendon back in May 2024, cutting their time short. This caused him to be absent for the entirety of the 2024-25 season. Fortunately, after months of waiting, there is finally some good news. During a live taping of his ‘Thanalysis Show’ podcast on Tuesday, the 32-year-old announced “I’m back, I’m back”, as if he were Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man, or Michael Jordan.

With Thanasis being back, Giannis might be considering this update about his future. According to Athlon Sports, the Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly set to sit down and meet with Giannis Antetokounmpo about his future with the team in the upcoming days.

This means that any formal discussion that will take place could not ignore Thanasis’s return. While the doctor has cleared Thanasis, there is a good chance that he might not continue his career with the Milwaukee Bucks. After five seasons with the Bucks from 2019 to 2024, his contract with Milwaukee ended last summer, and the player is now a free agent. Too many possibilities are running havoc amidst these recent updates. It will only make Giannis Antetokounmpo’s final decision all the more interesting.