Giannis Antetokounmpo does not leave us hanging.

In his post-game presser, the Bucks superstar reveals what was going through his mind when he pulled one of the classic Dad pranks on none other than Jaylen Brown. Now, if it was just that – a prank – it wouldn’t have received as much attention as it has now.

But the fact that he pulled the trick right after elbowing Brown in the face while they returned to the other end due to a change in possession doesn’t seem to sit well with many. Hence, a reporter didn’t waste time to ask Giannis whether he meant it as a joke or something more.

“Obviously, it’s a joke,” he clarified. “This is who I am. I play the game with fun and joy. I surround myself with young people so I can stay young myself. Be around my kids a lot, my nieces. But at the end of the day, I think he‘s an incredible player. He always does the right thing to help his team win. But I‘m just going to continue to be me.”

It’s clear from his words that this is his approach to life, highlighting how he embraces fun, joy, and youthfulness. In addition to his three kids, Giannis Antetokounmpo shares that he has quite a train of nieces. And being the quintessential family man, he explains that taking care of them has naturally rubbed off on him, helping him keep a playful, carefree demeanor, which reflects in his approach to the game as well.

“At the end of the day, if I‘m called a child, so be it. I have 3 of my own and I think 6 nieces. So take care of a lot of kids of my own around here. Sometimes when you’re around the kids, you start to act like it. It‘s fun. It‘s fun to be around them. So I just try to go out there and have fun. If I have another opportunity, I’ll do it,” he further added, making his stance clear once and for all.

Well, when you look at the strenuous and long season the NBA has, along with its fair amount of drama, it does help to keep a cool head. And for Giannis, it’s keeping his inner child alive. From his comments above, it’s clear that the ‘Greek Freak’ believes this mindset keeps him feeling young and vibrant, which in turn helps him on the floor.

Unfortunately, that isn’t how Jaylen Brown perceived it.

Jaylen Brown unhesitantly calls Giannis Antetokounmpo “a child”

As mentioned above, the whole affair took a negative turn due to the elbow to the head before the 2021 NBA champ’s prank. From the clip, it was clear that Brown didn’t appreciate it. When he was asked about it after the C’s win, JB had quite an admonishing answer.

“Giannis is a child. I’m just focused on helping my team get a win. And that’s what we did tonight,” the Finals MVP said, the subtle dig at the end not going unnoticeable.

Giannis Antetokounmpo did contribute a massive 43 points and 13 rebounds, but it wasn’t in any way helpful to rally against a Boston team looking to repeat their championship year. Returning after missing four games because of a strained left hip flexor, Jaylen Brown, as he said above, showed no mercy as he helped his team win, putting up 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Ultimately, while their on-court interaction sparked some tension, both in Jaylen and the NBA world, Giannis and Brown’s dedication to their teams and the game itself underscores the passion and competitiveness that makes the NBA so thrilling.