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“It’s Okay Not Being the Guy”: 2021 Championship Hero, Khris Middleton, on Playing Second Fiddle to Giannis Antetokounmpo

Published 09/13/2023, 11:16 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The Milwaukee Bucks ended a long championship drought two years ago when they defeated the Phoenix Suns. The Bucks won a championship after 50 years, thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the squad. While the world saw the Greek Freak as the only star of the Bucks, another player gave it his all and did not mind playing second fiddle.

This player was none other than Khris Middleton. Recently, Middleton gave his views on being the secondary player on the Milwaukee Bucks despite being a three-time All-Star and a lethal shooter from the floor.

Khris Middleton on being the secondary player on the Bucks

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Having too many stars on one team tends to become a problem for the franchise. Too many egos in the locker room usually end up causing trouble on the floor and it doesn’t necessarily result in wins.

USA Today via Reuters

But the Bucks have managed to put their egos aside and work together to win a championship. One such player is none other than Khris Middleton. Recently, Middleton made an appearance on JJ Redick’s podcast.

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While on the Old Man and The Three podcast, Middleton talked about being the second option after Giannis Antetokounmpo. Middleton was asked if he was okay with not being the main star or the guy on the team. And whether he has always been comfortable with that.

To that, he said, “Yeah. I mean, everybody wants to be the guy but sometimes it’s okay not being the guy. I have no problem not being the guy. Like, I know some nights it’s going to be my night. He has no problem with that.”

He also went on to add, “I know, a lot of nights going to be his nights. As long we win, I’m happy, I’m good.”

How the Bucks surrounded Giannis Antetokounmpo with stars

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The Milwaukee Bucks did a great job surrounding their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo with a great supporting cast. The team already added Khris Middleton but players like Serge Ibaka, Brook Lopez, and Jrue Holiday were later added on to the roster.

The front office’s moves to add these players worked wonders because all of them knew who the main guy on the team would be. And they did not let their ego get in the way in order to win a title. Which is exactly what happened in 2021.

Watch This Story – Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and 4 other NBA stars have combined to make NBA history, Here’s how

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Luckily, the Bucks still have almost the same starting five as they did back then apart from a few changes. So, the team may have another shot to win a title soon if it’s not for unexpected injuries in the future. Do you think the Bucks have what it takes to go all the way once again?

Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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Written by:

Abhishek Dhariwal

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Abhishek Dhariwal is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports with a background in journalism and mass communication. Abhishek uses storytelling along with feedback gathering to curate elegant and exclusive content for ES. His writing covers a wide range of topics, from in-game coverage to off-court activities of NBA stars.
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Edited by:

Sameen Nawathe