IIt didn’t go so well for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Entering the NBA playoffs number one, the Miami Heat sent the best Greek basketball player and team out pretty much first: five games, four losses.
If this season was a failure, a reporter wanted to know about the Greek. Antetokounmpo had to take a deep breath.
“You asked me the same question last year, Eric. Do you get promoted every year? no, right? Was the year a failure then? Everyone works towards a goal, but if they don’t achieve it – it’s all about the steps. Michael Jordan has played 15 years and won six championships. Did he fail the other nine years? (…) There is no such thing as failure in sport. There are good days and bad days. Sometimes you succeed, sometimes not. Sometimes it’s your turn, sometimes others. That’s what sport is about. You don’t always win. Sometimes the others win.”
A heartfelt answer. And from the heart of every amateur athlete who has struggled with defeat. So beautiful that it remains at number one for now.