Author: lehang

Levine and Shelton developed a friendship on the show while coaching for 16 back-to-back seasons together

Trae Patton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Adam Levine and Blake Shelton on The Voice

Adam Levine and Blake Shelton have a brotherly friendship.

During a break from blind auditions on the Monday, Feb. 10 episode of The Voice, the Maroon 5 frontman sent the country star a witty text message in hopes of an answer. When he didn’t receive one, he sent him multiple follow-ups — and Shelton had a hilarious response.

“Hey I’m in your old stupid chair now… stupid,” Levine, 45, texted Shelton, 48.

“God I hate you,” he wrote in his second message.

After pausing for a moment, Levine sent two back-to-back texts that each read “Haha.”

“Miss you… just kidding I can’t stand you,” he wrote in another text, before asking, “Are you getting these?”

Frazer Harrison/Getty Adam Levine and Blake Shelton in Hollywood in May 2023

He then threw his hands up in annoyance and rolled his eyes as he waited for Shelton to text back.

The “She Will Be Loved” singer gave it one final try: “Fine whatever. You suck eggs.”

Around 10 minutes later, Shelton finally wrote back. His one-word response simply read “unsubscribe.”

This season marks Levine’s return to the singing competition show after his exit in May 2019. Levine was a coach on the show’s premiere and stayed on for 16 seasons — alongside Shelton. Now, following the “Sangria” singer’s exit in May 2023, Levine is sitting in his chair.

Speaking with PEOPLE ahead of his grand return, Levine joked that he’s happy his buddy isn’t around anymore.

“The best part about being back with The Voice family is that I don’t have to deal with Blake Shelton,” Levine quipped. “I just don’t like him. So, it’s been great not having to be around him. He’s a bad friend…”

“I’m just kidding,” he clarified. “Of course, I love Blake. And I had to open with a Blake joke because he’s not on the show anymore, yet they still continue.”

Now, Levine is coaching alongside Kelsea Ballerini, Michael Bublé and John Legend — but none of them could replace his friend.

Trae Patton/NBC via Getty Kelsea Ballerini, Michael Bublé, Adam Levine and John Legend

“No. No, no, definitely not. There’s no replacing [Shelton],” the Hands All Over singer said. “The thing that happened with Blake and I, it was so organic, and it was based on our friendship.”

“Because nobody really realizes that we were thrown into this thing that wasn’t a thing yet. Our friendship was based on this not knowing what the hell was happening, and being silly, and stupid with each other,” he said.

“And that became something that people love to watch. It was very organic, and very unplanned and spontaneous. And all of a sudden we realized people loved watching us talk s— to each other. So, we thought to ourselves, ‘Let’s just do it. And hey, is there such thing as too far?’ And he’s like, ‘No.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, probably not. Let’s just go at it.’ And we just had fun with it.”

Season 27 of The Voice airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

“Kelsea Ballerini is coming today! Ouch!” coach Michael Bublé observed of the country star’s quips at the other coaches’ expense.

Christine Bartolucci/NBC Britton Moore competes on ‘The Voice’ Blind Auditions part 2

The Voice has just kicked off a new season, but by Monday, the second night of the Blind Auditions, the gloves were off. Coaches Kelsea Ballerini, Michael Bublé, John Legend, and Adam Levine, went at it, never more than for a contestant who turned all of their chairs with his take on Coldplay’s “Yellow.”

Even before Britton Moore, a 21-year-old from San Antonio, had uttered the word “yellow,” Levine slammed his buzzer. Legend and Ballerini followed, with Bublé joining him in the final notes of the song. So all four were hoping to get the contestant on the teams they’re building to take into the competition on the NBC series. Uh-oh.

“When I turned around, way before everyone else,” Levine said, taking a dig at the others before getting serious. “When I heard you go into your falsetto, I was like, ‘Okay, I need to coach this guy.’ Because there’s definitely something in your voice that reminded me a little of how I do it. I just felt an instant connection, and I pushed really early, because I thought that, ‘Man, this kid’s gonna be special,’ and I was right. You’re amazing, dude!”

Meanwhile, Legend praised him for his pitch. “Singing falsetto is actually really hard in a live setting,” the “All of Me” singer said. “I always tell my artists, ‘Your falsetto will betray you when you need it most.’ And it did not betray you, and you sounded so effortless and you really took some creative leaps, I thought. I think nobody sounds like you on the show, and that will be exciting. And it would be so fun to coach you.”

Ballerini, who’s in her first season as coach, quickly pointed out that she’s more than a decade younger than the others in the big red chairs this season. Only she didn’t use those words.

Trae Patton/NBC This season of ‘The Voice’ features returning coach Adam Levine

“Can I call you Britt? Perfect,” the 31-year-old artist said during her evaluation. “We go way back. You’re from Texas, I’m from Tennessee. Similar. You’re 21, I respect my elders.”

Bublé quipped that, “Kelsea Ballerini is coming today! Ouch!”

“In all seriousness,” Ballerini continued, “you can tap into whatever genre you feel like, and that’s what I’m looking for on my team. I know that I’m a country artist, but I want to continue to always evolve and be more than one thing, and I see that in you. I also just feel… I’m on TikTok. Have you guys heard of that?”

While Legend reassured Moore that he uses the social media app and gets “some good views on that,” Levine faked a shaky, elderly voice: “I never heard of a TikTok.”

But Ballerini was serious about wanting to add Moore to her roster of artists, and she hit her button to play a snippet of her singing “I’m calling dibs” from her song “Dibs” more than once.
Although Levine said he didn’t understand what the button meant, he thought it was “awesome.”

Ultimately, Moore chose Levine as his coach. The Maroon 5 frontman remarked to the camera that, with that addition, “almost half my team is four-chair turns.” He also noted that Ballerini’s “learning curve is frightening.”

Earlier in the show, Bublé and Legend had their own confrontation, after contestant Ari Camille, a 21-year-old from Chicago, belted out Brandy’s “I Wanna Be Down.”

Bublé admitted he was at a disadvantage because he’s in a different genre, but said his wife would love it if he were to have Camille’s name tattooed on his arm beside the names of his children — surely something no other coach would offer.

“Would she?” Camille asked skeptically.

Still, Bublé rolled up his sleeve, presented his arm to her, and gave her a pen to scrawl her name on it. “At the very worst, I got your autograph before you hit it big,” he said.
Camille went with Legend, who had pointed out that he had brought Brandy onto The Voice as a mentor to his team.

The Voice airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

The 57-game winning streak is over. It was supposed to be a cakewalk for the No. 2 South Carolina Gamecocks. The betting experts had all but guaranteed a Gamecocks victory, with odds heavily stacked in their favor! Even Coach Dawn Staley seemed confident, her game plan honed to perfection- especially when it came to the Texas Longhorns Forward Madison Booker. But there was one variable she hadn’t considered: Booker’s determination to prove her wrong in her own “mental” games.

The Gamecocks had last dropped a regular-season SEC game on December 30, 2021! The No. 2 team (22-2, 10-1) suffered their first conference loss of the season, falling 66-62 to No. 6 Texas in the Moody Center in Austin. Madison Booker, who had disappointed in the Longhorns’ 50-67 loss to South Carolina earlier in January, scoring just seven points, was on a mission to redeem herself.

In their previous matchup, Bree Hall had been the thorn in Madison Booker’s side. Hall had done her homework, meticulously studying Booker’s highlights, analyzing her movements, and preparing for the ultimate test: guarding the sophomore star. And she had passed with flying colors, never allowing Booker to find her rhythm in Colonial Life Arena, forcing her into difficult shots and face-guarding her.

Determined to prove that Bree Hall’s strategies wouldn’t work again, Madison Booker came into their rematch fiercely determined. And when the dust settled, she proudly declared her triumph, screaming, “She can’t f—–g guard me,” as she walked Bree Hall down.

Despite being restricted to 7 of 22 from the field, Madison Booker stole the show with 20 points, outpacing Senior Guard Bree Hall’s defensive efforts when it mattered the most. The Longhorns exploited their height advantage, as they effortlessly passed over South Carolina defenders to create scoring opportunities. Since Hall was locked in on Booker, this limited South Carolina’s ability to double-team Texas’s forwards in the paint.

Booker credited her team’s strong mindset for the win, saying, “It’s a mental game… that’s all I got to say.” This comment seemed like a subtle jab at Staley’s earlier remarks, who had attempted to get inside Booker’s head.

During an interaction with the media, Coach Dawn Staley shared her unfiltered thoughts on Madison Booker’s game, saying, “No, bad game, she played a bad game. What’s the approach with that? Same, I mean, you got to make her uncomfortable. You got to get her to think about maybe second-guessing some shots, but she really doesn’t.” 

Staley’s blunt remarks came right before Booker’s impressive milestone- surpassing 1,000 points for Texas in a mere 60 games. There’s no denying the impressiveness of her achievement, but it seems Staley was unconvinced.

She continued, “I mean, all of her shots—some of them were defended, some of them were not defended. But you just got to break up the cadence and disrupt the flow of how she wants to play the game. Because if you allow her to just go at the you speed that she likes to go at and shoot in the same cadence that she practices in an empty gym, she’s going to beat you every time.”

For Booker, the challenge was to respond, and, oh, did she deliver!

“Toughness,” Booker said. “Last time, we got out-toughed. This time, we out-toughed them.” Indeed. Yet, we cannot miss the fact that the South Carolina Gamecocks made some pretty questionable decisions.

Who expected this from the Moneyline favorites?

Be it FanDuel or DraftKings, the Gamecocks remain the Moneyline favorites. Hence, it was shocking for some to see them struggle and miss out on so many opportunities in the game with the Texas Longhorns. The game was tied at 49-49 as the fourth quarter got underway, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion. However, Texas quickly gained momentum, with Kyla Oldacre and Madison Booker scoring back-to-back buckets to put their team up by two possessions.

The Gamecocks were unable to regain the lead, and their best chance at a comeback slipped away when MiLaysia Fulwiley and Bree Hall mishandled a two-on-one break. Oldacre’s impressive performance continued, as she scored consecutive layups to put Texas back up by five, finishing with 13 points and six rebounds.

In the end, South Carolina’s Tessa Johnson missed her attempt, and Texas secured the rebound to seal the deal, then subsequently scoring two free throws to record a 66-62 win.

Notably, Coach Dawn Staley’s decision to bench forwards Chloe Kitts and Joyce Edwards for the entire fourth quarter raised eyebrows. When questioned, Dawn Staley explained, “Sania is the only one that can guard her (Kyla Oldacre). Like halfway, we give up too much when Chloe or Joyce are on her. We could have tried Adhel (Tac) but they’re just not experienced enough. She’s a very experienced post player. I thought she brought it all home for them.”

Well, the Longhorns entered with an underdog mentality and proved that on any given day, even the mighty can fall – and the Gamecocks became the latest victims of the game’s unpredictable nature.

Giannis Antetokounmpo does not take three point shots that much so there should be no drastic change in the Milwaukee Bucks’ three ball attempt volume in his absence, right?

Feb 10, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) takes a shot between Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) and forward Draymond Green (23) in the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Feb 7, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) on the sideline against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The opposite happened in the team’s loss against the Golden State Warriors.

Head coach Doc Rivers’ squad took just 33 attempts from the arc, around 17 less than the amount they hoisted the ball from the arc in their past two games.

Against Charlotte Hornets, the first game Giannis sat out, they went 18/42 or 47.9 percent. They shot 50 times from the three point line against the Atlanta Hawks.

They again reached the 50-attempt mark again in the win against the Philadelphia 76ers, shooting 24 out of 55 or 43.6 percent.

On a night when Taurean Prince exploded from the long range with his 5 out of 7 shooting, the others just went cold.

Jan 25, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) reacts against the LA Clippers in the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Damian Lillard had 38 points but 11 of them were from the three point line. He converted just three of his nine attempts from beyond the arc. Gary Trent Jr. who went off against the 76ers (7 out of 15), only had five attempts from long distance and converted just one.

Milwaukee Bucks 3-point problem is not for lack of aggressiveness

Warriors coach Steve Kerr came to the game knowing how crazy the Bucks are when it comes to three point shots.

He carried that thought coming to the Monday game and used that against their hosts.

“Watching (Sunday vs. Philadelphia) they were filling it up. So, it’s a different challenge. Obviously they’re not as good without Giannis, that goes without saying, but they’re different and they spread the floor more in some cases and put a lot of pressure on you,” he said post game.

Feb 10, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr calls a play against the Milwaukee Bucks in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

New Milwaukee Bucks recruit Kyle Kuzma noticed that, too. He said it felt like they were forced to take more two-point shots instead of three.

“They wanted us to score in the two-point range and it affected us,” Kuzma said. “Obviously if you watched our past two games at least, we shot the ball really well from three, especially (Sunday) as well and they took that away, making us play a lot in two-point range. Ball was really stagnant tonight. We didn’t really necessarily move it as well as we have for stretches.”

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky suggested he could be done with The Worldwide Leader in Sports on Monday, having made a shocking announcement on live television.

‘First Take’ (Photo via ESPN)

The former NFL quarterback appeared on Monday’s post-Super Bowl episode of ‘First Take’ and later signed off, noting he would be off television for a while and wasn’t sure how things would pan out in the future.

“I’m taking a break, won’t be on TV for a long time,” he said, “never know what the future holds but I’m taking a break… just want to say thank you. Appreciate you guys so much.”

Check him out in the video below:

Of course, ESPN has a host of analysts under contract, so some of them could afford to take breaks after a busy football season. However, it does seem like Orlovsky will be out for much longer than just a break, as he hinted at an uncertain future.

Dan Orlovsky Confirms That There Are Decisions To Be Made

We’ve seen on-air talent tell everyone goodbye before heading on vacation in the past, yet Dan’s farewell sounded like his time at ESPN could be over.

He has since confirmed, in response to an X user, that his future is up in the air.

“Lotta decision to be made. See what happens. I’m grateful for it all,” he wrote.

Dan Orlovsky joined ESPN in 2018. If his time really is up, it’s been a good run. We imagine lots of fans will be sad to see him go.

“I Shouldn’t Do That And Call People That” – Dan Orlovsky Forced To Appolgize For His Disgusting Comments About Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews (VIDEO)

Dan Orlovsky, Stephen A Smith, and Shannon Sharpe (Photo via ESPN)

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky wanted to deliver a stern apology over his words that involved Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews.

Following Sunday’s epic game between the Ravens and Bills, one where Orlovsky watched as the two AFC powerhouses punched back and forth until a two-point conversion from Jackson to tight end Mark Andrews fell to the ground, the former QB had a lot to say.

Orlovsky was in awe of the game he’d just watched, but he couldn’t help but notice that people were blasting Jackson and Andrews over the failed conversion.

“If you put the loss on Lamar tonight, respectfully, you’re a loser,” Orlovsky said in part.

He continued, “Mark Andrews is one of the all time ravens—he had a brutal drop and fumble yes. If you’re gonna use that to trash him, respectfully, you’re a loser.”

On Tuesday morning on First Take, Dan Orlovsky was apologetic for how he handled critics of Lamr Jackson and Mark Andrews.

“I shouldn’t do that and call people that… it’s hard to be a little bit overly critical in that moment of Lamar, if I’m just being real — and it’s our job — but having talked with him, you know how much he wants it.”

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson committed a couple of uncharacteristic turnovers, and it hurt his team in the end.

During the 27-25 loss to the Bills, Jackson finished with 254 yards and one interception on 18-for-25 throwing while gathering 39 yards on six carries and a fumble.

Mark Andrews had five catches for 61 yards in the game, but the fumble and dropped two-pointer were absolutely devastating to the Ravens’ chances to win.

Lamar Jackson Was Heated After The Game

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens suffered yet another heartbreaking playoff loss; this time, he let his emotions out.

A visibly “angry” Jackson placed the blame for Sunday night’s loss on turnovers.

“Turnovers,” Jackson told reporters. “We can’t have that (expletive). … Hold onto the (expletive) ball. I’m sorry for my language. This (expletive) is annoying. I’m tired of this (expletive).”

Now, the Ravens head into the offseason looking to find another answer to their playoff woes.

Kendrick Lamar had one of the most talked about Super Bowl halftime shows in recent memory.

Kendrick Lamar (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

It was certainly the most talked about once it was announced.

Earlier this week, Lil Wayne announced he wouldn’t be in New Orleans for the Super Bowl after being passed over as the halftime performer for Kendrick.

Days after finding out he wouldn’t be performing, Wayne took to social media with a message for his fans. “It hurt a whole lot. I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown and for automatically mentally putting myself in that position like somebody told me that was my position. But I thought there was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city, so it hurt,” he said at the time.

One man who chose not to watch the performance was sportscaster Skip Bayless, who reminded the entire football world that he decided to boycott the Super Bowl halftime show “out of respect for my brother Lil Wayne.”

In a recent episode of “The Skip Bayless Show,” he dropped a bombshell about the league feeling so bad that they supposedly apologized to Lil Wayne over Kendrick Lamar being picked over him.

“The NFL immediately sent Wayne a letter of apology,” Bayless revealed. “From nobody in particular, just from the league on NFL letterhead. A letter that thanked him for his years of supporting the league, not just the Packers, his favorite team, but supporting and promoting the NFL, in general, which he has.

“I mean, he makes weekly appearances on the NFL Sunday pregame show,’ NFL GameDay Morning’ on the NFL Network. But, he will not play Sunday’s halftime show, and he definitely will not watch a second of Sunday’s halftime show. He will watch the game; just not the halftime show. Not one second.”

A special guest during Lamar’s set was tennis legend Serena Williams, who did the crip walk while the Compton native performed his song ‘Not Like Us,’ which is a diss song directed to rapper Drake.

Viewers Brand Kendrick Lamar As Having The ‘Worst Ever’ Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show

Kendrick Lamar‘s 2025 Super Bowl LIX halftime show had a lot going on, but it left many viewers feeling robbed.

So many complained that it was ultimately branded the “worst ever” by some viewers.

PHOTO: Everyone Noticed Kendrick Lamar’s Special Item He Was Wearing That Was A Direct Shot At Drake

Kendrick Lamar (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show was as controversial as many expected it to be.

Fans think Kendrick threw shade at Drake with his chain during his Super Bowl halftime performance.

Lamar brought the house down at the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show, performing a slew of hits from “HUMBLE” and “DNA.”

Despite what was said, he would also play “NOT LIKE US” as well.

Kendrick donned an eye-catching blue jacket, with the word “Gloria” printed across the front. He also sported blue jeans, black gloves, and a black backward cap.

It would be his dazzling choice of jewelry that had fans talking.

For the show, Kendrick Lamar wore a series of thick silver chains, with a large diamond “a” in lowercase hanging from his necklace.

That was a shot at Drake.

The “a” stands for “a minor,” a lyric in Kendrick’s Grammy Award-winning song “Not Like Us.”

Kendrick Lamar Added Serena Williams To Halftime Show

Kendrick Lamar brought his Drake diss track “Not Like Us” to the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show and made sure to add a special person to it.

Taking the field at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday, Lamar had fans going crazy as he performed the song.

To make matters worse for Drake, Kendrick had Serena Williams crip walking to the song.

Adam Levine is back as a coach for season 27 of “The Voice” — and oh, how we’ve missed him! Levine was an OG coach who started in season 1 and left after season 16. So, why did he return?

Adam Levine’s Return on ‘The Voice’ Has Been a Long Time Coming

Fans have long hoped that Levine would return to “The Voice,” but it was just a matter of when.

After 16 seasons on the show, he felt it was time to leave. Now he’s revealing the reason he finally came back.

In a January 2025 interview with E! Online, Levine revealed, “I just felt like it was time. I had some time to reflect and do my thing and be with my family.”

The Maroon 5 singer added, “I was ready to do it, then the stars aligned and here I am.”

He clearly had no regrets with stepping away. “It’s funny, I actually didn’t miss it while I was gone,” he explained. “But I became more nostalgic about it once I came back.”

Levine didn’t miss a beat and got into the groove rather quickly. “It feels like no time has passed, but then it also feels so different in an amazing way,” he shared. “I’m just super happy and pumped. I love these guys so much,” he said of her fellow “Voice” coaches.

During a January 2025 interview with “Extra,” Levine gave a bit more insight into his return. “I kind of just re-explored the idea of doing this again,” the singer shared. He also explained that he wanted his kids to see him in action on the show, “so that years from now, when I’m not cool anymore, they can remember that I once was cool.”

He added, “I need to build up my cool dad cred now because it’s going to be disappearing.”

Adam Levine Said He and Blake Shelton ‘Were Slinging Hate at Each Other’

Levine and Blake Shelton famously were frenemies when they served as coaches on “The Voice” at the same time. It definitely made for some entertaining moments.

In a January 2025 interview with Billboard, Levine admitted, “It used to get so ugly.”

He told his fellow judges — John Legend, Michael Bublé, and Kelsea Ballerini, “You guys don’t even know. We used to scream over each other.”

According to the singer, “The Voice” is a lot less wild than those early days.

“I have realized through this process, which has become therapy of some sort, that I was in such a chaotic environment. Me and Blake were slinging hate at each other,” he noted. “Everyone’s yelling and screaming. It was so different.”

Levine added, “I wouldn’t be able to stomach or handle that at this point. This is the perfect place, I’m in the right place. This is a safe space.”

In the realm of basketball superstars, few names stand out like Giannis Antetokounmpo. Celebrated for his remarkable skills and athletic prowess, Giannis recently surprised fans by showing up at a local street basketball court. This article explores the inspiring moments from this encounter, as Giannis shares valuable techniques and insights with young aspiring players, leaving a lasting impact on their basketball journey.

Picture the thrill and disbelief that enveloped the neighborhood when NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo arrived at their local court. For these young basketball enthusiasts, it was a moment they would never forget, having the chance to learn from one of the best players in the world.

Giannis didn’t just make a brief visit; he fully immersed himself in the experience, interacting with the young athletes and demonstrating key techniques that have contributed to his rise to superstardom. From perfecting shooting form to honing footwork and defensive strategies, Giannis offered invaluable insights that could elevate their game to new levels

Beyond the technical skills, Giannis stressed the significance of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. He shared personal anecdotes from his own journey, shedding light on the challenges he encountered and the sacrifices he made to reach greatness. His words resonated deeply with the young players, rekindling their determination and reinforcing the belief that dreams can be achieved through relentless effort.

Giannis’ surprise visit to the street court left a lasting impression on the aspiring athletes. His humility, approachability, and genuine love for the game motivated them to push the limits of their potential. The experience of learning from a basketball icon will remain a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished with passion, hard work, and an unwavering pursuit of excellence.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s powerful 2-word Khris Middleton message after Bucks trade

Giannis Antetokounmpo shows respect for his traded teammate.

Khris Middleton has played nearly his entire NBA career thus far with the Milwaukee Bucks. On Wednesday, his stint with the team he played for 11-plus seasons came to an end after Milwaukee decided to send him to the Washington Wizards before the 2025 NBA trade deadline.

Along with AJ Johnson and a pick-swap, the Bucks traded Middleton to the Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and a second-round NBA draft compensation. The New York Knicks, who were also part of this three-team deal, sent Jericho Sims to Milwaukee and got Delon Wright and cash in return.

Middleton’s trade to the Wizards marked the end of an era for the Bucks, who acquired the former Texas A&M Aggies star via a 2013 trade with the Detroit Pistons. In other words, Antetokounmpo doesn’t know what it’s like to play in the NBA without Middleton as his teammate.

Antetokounmpo, who earlier sent out a post on X as an apparent reaction to the Middleton trade before deleting it, entered the NBA in 2013 when he was taken in the first round as that year’s 15th overall pick. Since then, he won two Most Valuable Player awards and won a league title — achievements Middleton had his fingerprints on.

Giannis Antetokoumpo declares Khris Middleton his “GOAT”

© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

In the aftermath of Middleton’s departure from Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo sent out a short but powerful message about his now-former teammate.

“My GOAT 🐐💯” Antetokounmpo shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter) as a caption for two images of Middleton during the Bucks’ NBA championship win in 2021.

During his over-a-decade tenure in Bucks uniform, Middleton averaged 17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 46.1 percent from the field across a total of 735 games, including 657 starts. A three-time All-Star, Middleton is going to be missed by Antetokounmpo and the Bucks locker room. Injuries have slowed him down in the 2024-25 NBA season, but even then, he still brought plenty of value to the Bucks, including the intangibles.

The jury is still out on whether Kuzma will be the type of udrapgrade the Bucks thought he would be when they pulled the trigger on the trade. As for Middleton, he goes from an NBA title contender to the worst team in the league, at least from a records standpoint. Middleton joins a Wizards squad with still only nine wins deep into the first week of February.

Many people found joy at the playground on Amarysias Artemidos Street in Maroussi when they saw Giannis Antetokounmpo, his pregnant partner Maria, and their two children. Giannis is straightforward, personable, and always has a smile on his face when he is around young children.

After Antetokounmpo parked his enormous car next to a playground, the family got out. But for his followers who flocked to snap photos with him, Giannis is a great role model—a humble and modest example of a person.

Giannis has been making the most of his holiday in Greece for a few weeks now, striking a balance between working out, relaxing, and investing. Purchasing a family-friendly housing complex in Paleo Psychiko was one of his most recent moves; construction was completed a few weeks ago, though there is still some work to be done.

The most luxurious complex is located in a tranquil Palaio Psychikos district, next to the building that houses the State’s General Archives. The overall area of the building on the 1,585 square meter parcel of land utilized for residential purposes is 998.27 square meters.

Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo to miss All-Star Game with calf injury

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss next Sunday’s 2025 NBA All-Star Game due to a calf injury, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Shams’ report says Antetokounmpo is expected to return shortly after the All-Star break, while NBA insider Chris Haynes says the Bucks star is set to miss “2-3 weeks.”

Giannis had already been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since last Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies, a loss in which he had 30 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in 37 minutes.

The Bucks star was ruled out the next night against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a knee injury, but it’s the calf injury that has kept him out of the last two games. He will miss three more games ahead of the All-Star break (vs. 76ers, vs. Golden State Warriors, at Minnesota Timberwolves). Milwaukee returns to action after the All-Star festivities against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, Feb. 20.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will pick Giannis Antetokounmpo’s All-Star replacement. Antetokounmpo was Charles Barkley’s second pick in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game Draft.

Bucks slumping amid Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

It has been a roller-coaster season for the Bucks. After a brutal 2-8 start, Milwaukee bounced back and hit a high water mark of eight games over .500 on two occasions in late January. But the team has slipped back to a 27-23 mark after a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

That loss to the Hawks was Kyle Kuzma’s first action after his trade from the Washington Wizards. The Bucks sent out franchise stalwart Khris Middleton in what was a somewhat controversial deal. Kuzma’s first outing was a rough one, with the veteran forward scoring 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting and posting a minus-15 in the box score. With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined, Milwaukee will need more from its new acquisition to help pick up the slack.

Milwaukee is currently fifth in the Eastern Conference thanks to its recent slide. The Bucks are just 1.5 games behind the Indiana Pacers for the No. 4 seed, but this is going to be a tough stretch of games leading up to the All-Star break without The Greek Freak. The sixth-seeded Detroit Pistons are two games back.

Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo Didn’t Work Out Together During the Summer

The Milwaukee Bucks, who were beset by coaching and injury concerns last season, are hoping that their star tandem of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard can have more success this time around. Giannis disclosed during Bucks media day that he and Lillard had not worked out together this summer; Lillard would later reaffirm this in interviews during media day.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were brought together by the Milwaukee Bucks to win the NBA title together. However, it looks like they haven’t trained together this offseason

“No, we didn’t physically train together. My plan was to travel to Greece. I had planned to travel to Greece, but I was unable to go since they had started camp in preparation for the Olympics. However, it was all.”

“However, even though we didn’t work out together, I feel like we’re on a better page with him today than I did the year before. Getting on the same page was more important than anything else.”

Giannis and coach Doc Rivers, who joined in the middle of the previous season, are two players with whom Lillard is better familiar, he said.

“I’ve learned Giannis’s game better than when I first arrived. I know Doc better now than I did when he first came here. This time, we don’t have to go through that procedure once more.”

Despite having a disappointing season in his first season with the Bucks, Damian Lillard averaged 24.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 7.0 assists last season. Being one of the league’s oldest clubs at the moment, he will be hoping that this season would bring him and his team some luck. With little resources to further modify the team, the franchise must aim for a championship this year.