Giannis Antetokounmpo surprised by Adrian Griffin’s firing, denies involvement

"Unlike the NFL, NBA teams are run by superstar players" is a familiar narrative doing the rounds in sports media. 

In the past, influential players such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant have been accused of making critical front-office decisions on behalf of their franchises – be it a coaching change or a trade. 

Another player who seemingly wields a lot of power behind the scenes is Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was instantly blamed by media personalities for the abrupt dismissal of first-year head coach Adrian Griffin earlier this week. 

Addressing reporters after Milwaukee's 126-116 win over the Cavaliers Wednesday night, Antetokounmpo spoke in length about Griffin’s firing – but didn’t take any culpability for the front-office decision.

"I've got to trust the front office, I've got to trust the ownership group that they consider the bigger picture,” Antetokounmpo said, via ESPN. "My job is to be the best version of myself, to lead this team out there and help win games."

The "Greek Freak" further claimed to have been taken aback by Griffin’s dismissal. 

"Their [front office’s] job is to create the best team possible and the best atmosphere around the team possible that they believe gives us a better chance to win a championship. But yeah, I do think [firing coach Griffin] was a surprise.”

Antetokounmpo – who reportedly played a crucial role in the Bucks hiring Griffin – hinted at being consulted about the young coach's firing. That said, he stressed that the final call wasn't his. 

"When somebody is being hired, the GM might come and ask, 'What do you think about that? What do you think about this?' or whatever and not just me -- players, people that he trusts their advice. But at times, they make it seem like it's the players that are making the decision."