Giannis Antetokounmpo was "speechless" after hearing recent criticism from his former coach Doc Rivers, but he doesn't intend to let it affect his first season with the Miami Heat.
"You got to go ask him why he thought that," Antetokounmpo said after Sunday's 114-108 win over the Sacramento Kings, according to ESPN. "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 got to go ask him why he said what he said. Not me."
Rivers, who coached Antetokounmpo for three seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, said the two-time MVP hoped to avoid being the one to orchestrate his exit despite his wish to move on from the team.
"Giannis wanted out, but he was a Buck. And he didn't want to be the bad guy," Rivers said last week.
Rivers added, "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."
Rivers also questioned the basketball IQ of the Greek superstar, who's averaged 24.1 points and 10 rebounds during a 14-year career that's included 10 All-Star appearances.
"He's interesting. He's not easy. He's not easy because he plays at this crazy downhill pace," Rivers said. "He's really a difficult guy. ... He has this great passing ability, but he doesn't necessarily have this super IQ at the same time. It's really a strange thing, and he really has one way: downhill, force, force. Every play, he wants to force it."
The Bucks traded Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Heat in July for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, Nate Ament, three first-round picks, one pick swap, and a second-round pick.
