The Milwaukee Bucks concluded their first team practice Sunday by singing "Happy Birthday" to back-to-back reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Teammates Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton thought of the perfect gift for the 26-year-old Antetokounmpo as he mulls over his decision on whether to sign a supermax extension to stay in Milwaukee for the long term.
"We definitely sung a 'Happy Birthday' after practice. Me and PC thought the perfect gift to him from our teammates is just to give him a pen," Middleton said. "So there were pens in his locker for his birthday present. I told him those should be some of the best birthday gifts he's ever gotten, so hopefully he enjoys it and uses it."
Antetokounmpo has until Dec. 21 to sign the extension, but he could agree to the same deal with the Bucks next summer if he does not test the market as an unrestricted free agent.
As Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed that everyone on the roster reported to practice on the first day, new addition Jrue Holiday vowed to bring "extra toughness" to the roster, which Budenholzer noticed immediately on both ends of the court.
"Even though it's our first practice, you just see a physicality that Jrue brings to the defensive end of the court and really the offensive end of the court," Budenholzer said. "There's a few plays to me that stand out from today where there's just a physicality that's a part of Jrue's game. It comes naturally."
For Holiday to celebrate Antetokounmpo's birthday on the first day of practice was a unique experience as he is still getting to know the Bucks' leader on a personal level.
"Just getting to know a lot more about them, I feel like that also can help build chemistry and help speed chemistry up," Holiday said. "So just from that point of view, it's been great and everybody here has been super accepting. Everybody here, I feel like, knows their role, so that also makes it easier.
"Again, for Giannis, he's a good dude," Holiday added. "And you can tell that he's a good dude and he's about business, but he's a family guy who takes care of his people, and that's why they have him here."