Alex Antetokounmpo said his NBA debut with the Milwaukee Bucks felt surreal after Tuesday’s 123-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks at Fiserv Forum.
Antetokounmpo played three minutes and scored three points in his first NBA appearance. He finished 0-for-1 from the field, 0-for-1 from 3-point range and 3-for-4 at the free-throw line.
“A dream come true. Honestly, just subbing in, I was looking around. Obviously, being a kid that grew up in Milwaukee, it was just kind of crazy. I’ve been to more Bucks games than I can even count, so to put on that jersey was amazing.”
The 24-year-old forward’s first NBA appearance came in a game that also snapped Milwaukee’s four-game losing streak. Ryan Rollins led the Bucks with 24 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, while Kyle Kuzma added 20 as Milwaukee improved to 30-45.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said the moment carried extra weight because of the Antetokounmpo family connection. “It’s really cool. Giannis told me his hands were sweaty, so I thought that was hilarious… He grabbed my hands and said, ‘My hands are sweating. I’m so nervous right now for my brother.’”
Alex’s journey to Milwaukee has taken him across Europe, the G League and back again before reaching the NBA stage. He spent time with Murcia, Raptors 905, the Wisconsin Herd, M-Basket Mazeikiai, KK Podgorica, PAOK and Aris before joining the Bucks organization.
That path made the debut even more meaningful in a building he has known as a fan for years. “I’ve been to more Bucks games than I can even count,” Antetokounmpo said, underscoring how personal the moment was for the youngest Antetokounmpo brother to reach the league.
Milwaukee controlled the game behind an early scoring burst, leading 65-51 at halftime and pulling away after the break. The Bucks made 11 of their first 22 3-pointers in the second half and built a 31-point lead before the fourth quarter ended the contest.