Bulls coach Donovan won't celebrate Bucks' small-market win
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo announced on Instagram Tuesday he plans to sign a five-year, $228-million extension to stay in Milwaukee.
This news ties into the Bulls a couple of ways. Obviously, a great player will continue to be a primary division rival. Also, Antetokounmpo chose to stay in a smaller market, something Bulls coach Billy Donovan can relate to having coached in Oklahoma City.
Donovan's first year with the Thunder was in 2015-16, when OKC built a 3-1 lead over Golden State in the Western Conference finals, but couldn't finish it off. A few months later, Kevin Durant left the Thunder in free-agency to sign with the Warriors.
"I don't look at it that way, I look at it as the individual, it's the player," Donovan said Tuesday. "I don't think a player's going to sit there and say, 'Giannis stayed in a small market, so I am.' I think every player's going to evaluate the situation they're in and what do they feel like the organization is going direction-wise, what kind of role are they playing. I think every player's going to look at it through the own lens.""
The Bulls beat Giannis in a 2015 playoff series, his second season in the league. Since then, the I-94 rivalry has been lopsided, with the Bucks winning 10 in a row.
"He's obviously one of the best players in the league, MVP, so I'm personally happy for him," Donovan said. "There's a lot of great players in the East, including Giannis. I just look at it as a guy that was drafted by Milwaukee, has stayed with Milwaukee and has been true to Milwaukee and congratulations to him."