Giannis Antetokounmpo 'speechless' over Doc Rivers criticism - ESPN

Giannis Antetokounmpo said he was «speechless» over former coach Doc Rivers' comments about the Miami Heat star, adding that he will continue to «focus on my team» and that athletes should not be dismayed by «bitterness or pettiness.»

Rivers, who coached Antetokounmpo for parts of three seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, said during a recent interview that the two-time NBA MVP «didn't want to be the bad guy» and was playing a «game» amid his prolonged exit from Milwaukee.

«Giannis wanted out, but he was a Buck. And he didn't want to be the bad guy,» Rivers told «The Bill Simmons Podcast» in an episode posted Thursday. «He wanted [GM Jon Horst and owner Wes Edens] and those guys to say, 'We're trading you,' instead of him asking for a trade. To me, that was the game that was being played.»

Antetokounmpo addressed Rivers' criticism Sunday, three days after the interview was published.

«First of all, he's not my coach,» Antetokounmpo told reporters after Miami's 114-108 victory over the Sacramento Kings. «My coach is coach Spo [Erik Spoelstra], but [Rivers] is a guy — a coach — that I've worked with in the past. I'm speechless.»

After a brief exchange with reporters about the timing of Rivers' comments, Antetokounmpo elaborated.

«You gotta go ask him why he thought that,» Antetokounmpo said. «That's on him, that's not on me. I just got to focus on my team and what I got to do and how I can be better and how can I help the team.

»But God, that's crazy. Never let bitterness or pettiness get in front of your goals and dreams. For every athlete out there, never let that — that's insane. But you gotta go ask him why he said what he said. Not me."

Rivers, now an analyst for NBC, added that Antetokounmpo «doesn't necessarily have