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Just minutes before Jason Kidd was relieved of his duties as the Bucks head coach, he got a phone call from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Milwaukee’s superstar on the rise contacted Kidd, offering to help save his job.
The Greek Freak called Kidd 15 minutes before he was notified of his firing. He was ready to call the owners and his agent, but Kidd told him he already expected to be fired.
The conversation happened as follows, according to Kidd:
Kidd, "He called me and said, 'Coach, this isn't right what they're about to do, but (they) are gonna let you go.' "
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 23, 2018
Kidd says he told Antetokounmpo that "I had a feeling that was gonna take place."
Kidd says Antetokounmpo replied, "'What can I do? I'll call the owners, I'll call my agent."
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 23, 2018
Kidd said he told him, "There's nothing you can do. All you can do is tell the truth. That's it."
Kidd said he thanked Antetokounmpo for his loyalty and that he was "thankful to be able to coach him."
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 23, 2018
Antetokounmpo describes himself as loyal, and his four-year, $100 million contract extension in small-market Milwaukee is proof. The Bucks drafted him, but he became an all-world talent under Kidd, who put the ball in his hands as a point forward and unleashed the Greek Freak against the rest of the league.
I got loyalty inside my DNA
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) July 7, 2017
It’s unclear how things will play out as the Bucks maneuver the rest of the season without Kidd. But things have certainly gotten interesting in Milwaukee, and could stay that way in the seasons to come if this midseason switch doesn’t produce results in the near future.