Outside of phenomenal basketball skills, NBA superstars can sometimes be just like us normies, and it shows up in the funniest of ways. All-star Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't pull off anything quite as wild as Joel Embiid's WWE "suck it" gesture, but it was pretty out of pocket, as the Bucks athlete redeemed a promo code for free wings in the middle of a game, and I've never related to him more in my life.
Giannis Antetokounmpo enjoyed some restful time on the bench Saturday, thanks to the Milauwakee Bucks blowout of the New Orleans Pelicans. Late in the fourth quarter, the Pelicans' Naji Marshall missed two consecutive free throws, triggering an in-arena promotion from Wingstop in which those present could scan a QR code on the Jumbotron to acquire free wings after the game.
Fans around the stands took advantage of the offer, of course, and the Bucks commentators couldn't help but laugh when they spotted Antetokounmpo grabbing a phone to get in on the act as well. Check out a clip of the moment below.
Giannis scanning the QR code to get his free wings after the Pelicans miss two free throws pic.twitter.com/J2ZTQxCmLBJanuary 28, 2024
As one of the premiere superstars of the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo is also one of the wealthiest. He'll make $45.6 million this season, according to Fox Sports, and that average salary is set to rise through 2025. And yet, here he is in the final minutes of an NBA game, amusedly snagging some free wings like the common man. Why didn't that upcoming Netflix series about basketball stars include this dude? I need to know what is going on in his mind!
At the same time, I can honestly say I would've done the same thing. Giannis Antetokounmpo, whom readers can learn more about by watching the movie Rise with a Disney+ subscription, could have been raised with the frugal mentality to never to overlook an opportunity when it springs up. But who doesn't want free wings in any situation?
Also, who wants to bet someone with Wingstop has seen that clip and is already spinning some sort of marketing deal that could land Antetokounmpo all the free wings he wants for the foreseeable future?
At the same time, indulging on too many free wings could result in Giannis Antetokounmpo needing Shaquille O'Neal's weight-shedding advice to get in championship shape. But that might take a lot of indulgence. Not that I'm judging, since I'm not out on the court trying to lead my team to another title, so I should only be so grateful Antetokounmpo showed he was more than "The Greek Freak" this one time.
Between this incident and Emma Stone stunning the Phoenix Suns bench recently, NBA players around the league should be mindful that the cameras are always rolling. The same applies to fans as well, lest we forget the time that a Sacramento Kings fan threw up courtside.
The NBA season is still rolling strong, so now is as good as a time as any to pick up a subscription to NBA League Pass and have a game to watch every night. It's definitely worth having to catch moments like the one above, as it can be hard to see the highlights from around the league otherwise.
