Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-time NBA MVP and 2021 NBA winner with the Milwaukee Bucks, signed a max extension with the Bucks on Monday worth a total of US$186 million (S$254.2 million).

“MILWAUKEEEEEEEEE!! “#BucksInSix #Extended,” Antetokounmpo wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday night. Have some fun, guys!

Monday, ESPN and The Athletic said that the new deal is for three years and includes a player option for the 2027–28 season.

Antetokounmpo says that signing a contract extension this summer is not good for his finances. He’s going to do it in the summer of 2024 instead. Since the new NBA season starts on Tuesday, Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee had until Monday at 11:59 p.m. to come to a deal.

As a whole, Antetokounmpo scored 31.1 points, grabbed 11.8 rebounds, and gave out 5.7 assists in 63 games last season. He was named the most important player in the 2021 NBA Finals, which the Bucks won over the Phoenix Suns.

The Bucks showed Antetokounmpo they were serious about competing for future championships by trading for Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard this summer. Last year, they lost in the first round of the playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Antetokounmpo is about to start his 11th season in the NBA. He has played 719 games (654 starts) with the Bucks and has averaged 22.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game. News agency REUTERS