“But at the end of the day I think everybody knows my character; not everybody knows – I think the people that know my character – know I never try to disrespect anybody within the NBA, within my coaching staff, within the opposing team. I respect with the best words about any player whenever I’ve been asked. Or I’ve never disrespected an opponent coach or a coaching staff. Or whenever I shoot and finish my (pregame) routine, from my rookie year until now, I always shake every ball boys hand and make sure I thank them for the work I do because I know it’s hard to do their job chasing balls over and over and over again and make sure they’re OK. I do it for my ball boys and ball girls in Milwaukee. They help us when we shoot and I try to do it on the road, too., I’ve been known for this. I never try to disrespect anyone, in any way shape or form. I feel like today was just unfortunate event that took place.
“I think people did not respect the fact that sometimes players want to get some extra work in. It might be three, five, seven, whatever the case might be. I think it’s unprofessional to kick somebody off the court or take the ball or whatever the case might be. Or put the ladder in front of somebody while he’s trying to do his job. We get paid to do this. They didn’t just pick us. We get paid.”
Antetokounmpo was then asked if he was disappointed that there is video of that part of the interaction.
“At the end of the day people are going to make things look the way they want it to look,” he began. “Did I meant to push the ladder all the way down? I totally did not. I just tried to, I think I pushed it and it got caught and fell. But people are going to make it look the way they want it to look. I know what happened. I think there’s cameras all over this court. We can show the whole incident from people coming and getting the ball, people getting in my face. I don’t want to get into all those things.
“I don’t know if I should apologize because I don’t feel like I did anything wrong, except the ladder just fell. I feel like it’s my right for me to work on my skills after a horrible night from the free throw line. I think anybody in my position that had a night like me would go out and work on his free throws. And if they didn’t, they don’t really care about their game.”
As for Harrell, the 76ers ahead additionally bought in a shouting match with Thanasis Antetokounmpo throughout this time period.
“I don’t think he tried to disrespect me,” Giannis Antetokounmpo stated of Harrell. “He wanted to get his work in. And I totally understand. It’s just funny to me because I have a basketball court in my house and my kids always go and shoot. And when ever it gets 9 p.m. I go and take the ball from their hands and I’m like, it’s me-me’s time, we’re going to bed. I kind of felt like, you know, I was; I feel like we’re more mature than that.
“We are professional athletes that try to do our job. You can go and ask him. I offered him to shoot, let’s shoot together. Meanwhile, I don’t understand this because there’s a basket right behind me. Like there was another basket behind me. And, he chose to come to take my ball, have his coach get in front of me, and kind of bully me away from the court and go to the other basket. Like, I’m not going to try to fight somebody. I have kids now, I gotta save my money.
“But now, if you guys see that as disrespect, that’s on you. I was like OK, he’s trying to protect his home court, whatever the case might be, I’m going to go take another ball. I went and asked for another ball and tried to come and shoot and they put a ladder in front of me because they tried to kick me off the court.”
The 76ers and the Wells Fargo Center had no touch upon the involvement of Harrell, Love or area workers.
