With so many players on the injury report early this season, Antetokounmpo would not be able to reap the rewards of an improved mentality immediately; he would have to wait and grow in the process. “Now, I’ve realized that you’ve just gotta build good habits,” Antetokounmpo told The Athletic. “Just build good habits with your team and when you go down the road, down the stretch, that’s when that mentality enters. ‘We’re not losing. I’ll do whatever it takes.’ But at the end of the day, you realize, I can kill myself right now. Jrue was out. Khris was out. Brook was out. Donte’s out. And I kill myself right now, but I had a conversation with coach (Budenholzer). ‘Just play the right way. Win, lose, just play the right way.’”