During a post-game interview on Wednesday night, Greek basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo shared some insightful thoughts about the meaning of failure in sports. Despite typically offering light-hearted and enjoyable interviews, Giannis felt the weight of the Milwaukee Bucks’ crushing 4-1 series loss to the Miami Heat, ending the team’s season. When asked if he considered the season a “failure,” Giannis offered a thoughtful response that encouraged listeners to think more deeply about what it means to fail.

The player began by expressing his frustration with the question, noting that the interviewer had asked him the same thing the previous year. He then drew an analogy between work and sports, pointing out that just as one doesn’t consider every year at work a failure simply because they don’t receive a promotion, every season in sports is not a failure simply because the team does not win a championship. Rather, each year represents a step toward success as the team works toward its goals and tries to improve. Giannis also pointed out that there are good and bad days in sports, and sometimes other groups will come out on top. However, that doesn’t mean the team or individual is a failure. Instead, it’s important to learn from losses and try to come back stronger the next year.