Giannis’ ex-agent blasts Drake for trolling methods
Drake clearly has been having fun with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s struggles through the Jap Convention finals, however the famous person rapper’s antics are rubbing some individuals the unsuitable manner.
A senior govt for Octagon, the company that represents Antetokounmpo, tweeted Wednesday that he has “by no means seen something as disrespectful” as Drake’s repeated trolling of Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Georgios Dimitropoulos, who was Antetokounmpo’s European agent earlier than changing into the senior director for Octagon Basketball Europe, took to Twitter someday after the Toronto Raptors routed Antetokounmpo and the Bucks 120-102 in Recreation four to even the best-of-seven sequence at 2-2.
Think about a gig & an athlete on VIP seats, proper subsequent to the band, stands up on the stage simply to point out off throughout the whole recreation, realizing cameras are on him, often even massaging the singer. Safety&him each enable it. By no means seen something as disrespectful as this earlier than…
— Georgios Dimitropoulos (@DimitropulosOCT) Might 22, 2019
Dimitropoulos later deleted the tweet.
Drake as soon as once more was a visual presence from his regular seat close to the Toronto bench all through the sport, laughing when Antetokounmpo missed free throws, roaming the sideline and even rubbing Raptors coach Nick Nurse’s shoulders at one level.
Canadian rap artist Drake has been heckling Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo through the convention finals. EPA/WARREN TODA
Antetokounmpo scored 25 factors in Recreation four however shot simply 6-of-10 from the free throw line and airballed a free throw for the second consecutive contest. He scored simply 12 factors in Milwaukee’s double-overtime loss in Recreation three and went 2-for-7 from the road.
Antetokounmpo was not requested about Drake after Tuesday’s recreation, however Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer reacted Wednesday.
“You possibly can’t assist however often see Drake simply going into timeouts or out and in of timeouts, whether or not he is encouraging or cheering for Toronto,” he mentioned. “You recognize, attempting to speak to referees. To say I do not see it in any respect can be inaccurate, however to say I give it a lot or any thought, , it is sort of similar reply, similar mantra. I simply are inclined to ignore and deal with our staff, deal with no matter it’s we must be doing.”
Budenholzer was requested if it was truthful superstar obtained particular therapy.
“I’ll say, once more, I see it in some timeouts, however I do not know of any individual that’s attending the sport that is not a participant within the recreation a coach — I am sorry, a participant or a coach, that has entry to the courtroom,” he mentioned. “I do not know the way a lot he is on the courtroom. It sounds such as you guys are saying it is greater than I understand. There is definitely no place for followers and, , no matter it’s precisely that Drake is for the Toronto Raptors. You recognize, to be on the courtroom, there’s boundaries and contours for a cause, and like I mentioned, the league is often fairly good at being on high of stuff like that.”
Numerous Bucks followers have expressed robust opinions, mainly ripping the rapper on Twitter.
A number of of these tweets have been posted in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story with the headline: “Milwaukee completely hates Drake, in some way allowed to roam the courtroom and troll Giannis.”
Nurse mentioned Wednesday that he did not even understand what occurred with himself and Drake.
“I did not even know I bought the shoulder rub final night time till someone confirmed me an image of it at this time,” he mentioned. “I did not even really feel it. I used to be so locked into the sport.”
The sequence resumes in Milwaukee for Recreation 5 on Thursday night time. However Drake will get yet another likelihood to taunt Antetokounmpo and the Bucks when the sequence returns to Toronto on Saturday for Recreation 6.
ESPN’s Malika Andrews and Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.