Giannis Antetokounmpo, forward for the Milwaukee Bucks, recently responded to a reporter’s question asking him if he believed the Bucks’ season was a failure. Despite their loss in the playoffs, Antetokounmpo passionately refused to call the season a failure. His belief is rooted in the understanding that some days are good, some days are bad, and some days you succeed while others you do not. As an athlete, he recognizes that not every day will be a win. Instead, he views it as a part of the sport’s philosophy.
Antetokounmpo’s perspective is not the norm in the world of professional sports. The industry has long upheld the idea of “winner/loser, hero/goat, do/die” dichotomy. The obsession with winning is so strong that even players who do not buy into this binary still align themselves with fans who care about winning. However, this mentality does not accurately reflect the nuances and wonders of the season. It fails to consider the successes beyond the championship, such as doubling the number of wins from the previous season, making the playoffs for the first time in decades, or finding a future Hall of Famer on the team.
Antetokounmpo’s understanding of sports is refreshing. He recognizes that every day is not a win, and some days are just not your turn. However, his perspective does not undermine the gladiatorial illusion and warrior cliché that go with sport. There will always be players like Derek Jeter who hold onto the mindset that not winning the championship means failure and fans who hold onto unrealistic expectations. Nonetheless, players like Antetokounmpo are slowly shifting the focus of sports culture away from this binary thinking.
Antetokounmpo’s belief may seem like a weakness to some, but it is a strength. It is an understanding that some days you succeed, and some days you do not. Such a perspective is crucial to the mental health of athletes struggling with cultural ostracization, work-life balance, political worldviews, and industrial relations. It is a belief that empowers players to reshape the working conditions that govern sports culture. Antetokounmpo’s philosophy is a lesson that everyone, even those outside the world of professional sports, can learn from.