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Giannis Antetokounmpo knocks over ladder to shoot postgame free throws amid confrontation with Sixers

Jack Baer
Staff writer
·4 min read
1.5k

Giannis Antetokounmpo might have been a bit frustrated after the Milwaukee Bucks' loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.

After his team lost 110-102 in Philadelphia, Antetokounmpo was seen trying to shoot free throws on the Wells Fargo Center floor after a brutal 4-of-15 performance from the charity stripe, but he had an obstacle to deal with first. A Sixers employee was standing with a tall ladder in front of the basket.

Antetokounmpo was visibly unhappy as he walked up to the ladder and forcibly moved it out the way, then knocked it over after the Sixers employee balked.

The incident was captured on video and went viral across social media on Friday.

As bad as the video looked for Antetokounmpo, there was reportedly more to the story, including a confrontation with an aggressive Sixers player.

Montrezl Harrell reportedly took Giannis Antetokounmpo's ball and threatened his brother

The ladder incident was apparently Antetokounmpo's second attempt to shoot free throws after the game.

The first ended when Sixers backup center Montrezl Harrell and coaching staff member Jordan Love confronted the Greek Freak on the court, with Harrell physically taking the ball away and refusing to give it back, according to The Athletic.

The scene as described in the report does not sound flattering for either player:

Harrell stood in the corner shaking his head and holding the ball while Antetokounmpo pleaded with him.

“This isn’t f—— Milwaukee,” Harrell barked at Antetokounmpo, as witnessed by The Athletic. “Get that s— out of there.”

There is also video showing Harrell's initial seizing of the ball, as well as Harrell's own account on Twitter:

After Harrell told Antetokounmpo he was forbidden to practice free throws, Antetokounmpo reportedly left the court and returned with two basketballs, at which point the Wells Fargo Center employee moved the ladder in front of the basket.

Antetokounmpo asked the employee to move the ladder and was again rebuffed, leading to the scene caught on video. The conflict didn't end when he left the court, though, as his brother and teammate Thanasis Antetokounmpo walked to the court and spoke with Harrell, who reportedly told him “I’ll beat your a–” and “you better send that s— back to the locker room.”

Antetokounmpo called his Sixers foes unprofessional, per The Athletic:

“I never try to disrespect anyone, in any way shape or form,” Antetokounmpo said, an hour after the incident. “I feel like today was just unfortunate event that took place. I think people did not respect the fact that sometimes players want to get some extra work in. I think it’s unprofessional to kick somebody off the court or take the ball or whatever the case might be. Or put the ladder in front of somebody while he’s trying to do his job. We get paid to do this. They didn’t just pick us. We get paid.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo missed 11 of 15 free throws vs. Sixers

It had been a frustrating game for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, who led by as many as 13 points late in the first quarter before the Sixers started chipping away. Joel Embiid posted one of his best performances of the season, with 32 points on 12-of-26 shooting, 11 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks.

Antetokounmpo had a respectable 25 points and 14 rebounds, but it was a nightmare game at the free throw line. The performance continued a rough trend for him this season, as he is now shooting a career-low 58.7 percent on a career-high 12.9 attempts per game from the charity stripe.

That would be why he wanted to shoot some free throws so badly. Unfortunately for him, Philly fans were still on the scene to give him a hard time, and record a string of additional bricks.

The loss is the Bucks' fourth in their last six games, a rough patch after a franchise-record nine-game winning streak to open the season. Their 11-4 record remains the second-best in the Eastern Conference behind the 13-3 Boston Celtics.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 18: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after committing a foul against the Philadelphia 76ers in the third quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on November 18, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Bucks 110-102. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Giannis Antetokounmpo had an ugly night at the free throw line, then an ugly moment after the Bucks' loss to the Sixers. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)