“With us, he has to be Superman”: Darvin Ham indirectly calls out Giannis Antetokounmpo’s lack of help with Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham watched Giannis Antetokounmpo lead Greece to a 75-66 win over Italy on Friday in the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket. Antetokounmpo dazzled with 31 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one steal. The impressive performance helped the Greeks hold the lead from start to finish.

Ham addressed Antetokounmpo’s differing roles after the game, offering insight into how his responsibilities shift between the Bucks and Greece:

“It’s more team-oriented, more sets and all of that here [EuroBasket] is different. They don’t play as fast as we do in the NBA, but in the NBA, his usage rate is off the charts. He always constantly has the ball in his hand, so he has a different role over there. … With us, he has to be Superman.”

Trending

Darvin Ham was spot on with his comments about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s usage, particularly last season. The two-time MVP led the NBA in that category for players with at least 40 games played with 34.6. LaMelo Ball, who played 47 games, finished second with 34.2. OKC Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander closed the top 3 with 33.6.

Damian Lillard, Antetokounmpo’s former co-star, ended the regular season with 26.9, which ranked 42nd. No other Bucks player finished in the top 100, underlining how Ham and the coaching staff overly relied on the Greek Freak to carry the team.

The 2025 playoffs provided proof of how much the Milwaukee Bucks wanted Giannis Antetokounmpo to play Superman. He had a usage rate of 35.3, third-highest in the postseason and the most against the Indiana Pacers in the first round. Bobby Portis came in second for players with at least 100 minutes with 20.7.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s high usage led to impressive playoff stats, little playoff success

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks in minutes (37.6), points (33.0), rebounds (15.4), assists (6.6) and blocks (1.0). In the Game 5 loss to the Indiana Pacers, he tallied 30 points, 20 rebounds, 13 assists, two blocks and two steals.

Due to Damian Lillard’s injury and inconsistency from across the roster, the Greek superstar had to shoulder a yeoman’s job. While he filled up the box score nightly, the Bucks struggled to keep up with the Pacers’ high-octane and balanced attack.

Antetokounmpo played a Superman role for the Bucks, but the lack of support doomed the team.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

Michael Macasero

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

Know More