'Fakest dude in the league': Giannis Antetokounmpo catches NBA fans' flak after claiming no role in Adrian Griffin firing

On Wednesday night, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks had their first game since the firing of Adrian Griffin. When asked about the situation, the two-time MVP gave an answer that led fans giving a negative response.

Despite leading the Bucks to one of the best records in the league, Griffin was fired halfway through his first season as head coach. A day later, Doc Rivers agreed to terms on a deal to become his replacement.

Following the Bucks' 126-116 victory of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Giannis Antetokounmpo was about Griffin being dismissed. He said he was a fan of the coach, and even invited him to his wedding. However, the star forward also understands that the NBA is a business and things like this happen.

This elongated response led to NBA fans voicing their thoughts on Giannis. Some feel he is lying and had a part in the first-time coach being let go.

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In his 43 games as coach, Griffin led the Bucks to a 30-13 record. Despite this success, the longtime assistant now finds himself a free agent.

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Did Giannis Antetokounmpo have a role in Adrian Griffin's firing?

Giannis Antetokounmpo might not have owned up to it, but the reporting suggests that he played a role in Adrian Griffin getting dismissed as coach. Also, as the team's biggest star, all major moves are likely brought to his attention before they are made.

While they still managed to be a top three team in the Eastern Conference, it seemed like the players weren't fully sold on Griffin and his schemes. Among the guys to speak out about this publicly was Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Following a loss earlier in the year, he sounded off on how he didn't like the way the defense was being run. For years Milwaukee was always one of the top defensive teams in the NBA. Now, they rank 20th in defensive rating.

Giannis might have played a role, but it doesn't seem like it was fully him. New addition Damian Lillard also had his concerns with Griffin's coaching. Shams Charania reported that the All-Star guard was struggling with how things were being run on the offensive end.

"League sources also said Lillard has spent much of this season struggling with the way the Bucks function on the offensive end. While he has remained patient with coahces and teammates, there was an inevitable pressue on Griffin from the organization to make the most of Lillard's talent."

After trading for Lillard, the Bucks had their sights on contending for championships right away. With that goal in mind, they opted not to roll the dice with Griffin for a full season despite his early success.