Giannis Antetokounmpo made history by registering a stat line of 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns. By doing so, he helped his team clinch t4-2 series and bring the championship to Milwaukee for the first time since 1971. The Milwaukee Bucks were heavily tipped for a strong playoff run last year but fell short.
This time around, with the most notable addition of Jrue Holiday, the Bucks registered impressive post-season series victories over the Atlanta Hawks and the Brooklyn Nets. They became the Eastern Conference Champions for the first time since the 1973-74 NBA season. To make it happen, the Milwaukee Bucks offered a $228 million supermax contract extension to their top star in December 2020. In this article, we take a closer look at his contract.
How much does Giannis Antetokounmpo earn? Taking a closer look at the NBA star’s contract
The December 2020 trade deadline was a crucial one for the Milwaukee Bucks. Their chief star Giannis Antetokounmpo was weeks away from becoming an unrestricted free agent. Giannis was close to leaving the franchise that he joined as the 15th overall pick of the 2013 NBA draft, at the age of 19.
After his rookie-scale contract ended, he signed a $100 million extension in September 2016. Giannis followed it up by producing his first ever season averaging more than 20 points and winning the Most Improved player award in the process. This was followed by two years of playoff disappointment that brought forth the five-time All-Star’s best years.
Giannis evolved into one of the best interior scorers in the NBA, and was always an elite defender capable of handling the oppositions’ best players. The 2018-19 NBA season saw him improve on scoring and rebounding, apart from a marked improvement in shooting efficiency. Giannis Antetokounmpo was now shooting at over 64% in the NBA as he produced three straight double-double seasons, with the last two resulting in MVP titles.
As a result, as his four-year contract extension came towards an end, Giannis became one of the most-sought after stars in the NBA. He was linked to a plethora of elite NBA teams. With less than six days left for the December 21st deadline, the Bucks were able to convince him to sign a $228 million extension with a player option for the 2025-26 NBA season.
Through these years, his salary will improve on a yearly basis. Giannis earned around $39.5 million through the 2020-21 NBA season, and is set to rake in close to $42.5 million in the upcoming season. This will be followed by yearly salaries of $45.6 million and around $48.7 million until the 2024-25 NBA season.
Assuming that he will take up the player option and stay for another year, Giannis Antetokounmpo will earn almost $52 million in the 2025-26 NBA season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently under what is the largest NBA contract in the league’s history. Of course, he will be looking to add to his maiden NBA ring before the big contract runs out.