Giannis Antetokounmpo found an unexpected way to respond to claims that his Celebrity All-Star team was stacked.
Rather than defending the talent on his roster, the Bucks star took aim at one specific teammate.
Giannis Antetokounmpo jokes about Shams Charania on Team Giannis
In comments shared by Bucks, Giannis reacted after Richard Jefferson suggested that Team Giannis was unfairly strong during the 2026 Celebrity All-Star game.
“You know, why it’s not fair? Because we have Shams on my team. He cannot hoop! But everybody else can hoop,” Antetokounmpo said.
The remark was delivered with a smile, but it doubled as a playful shot at NBA insider Shams Charania, who suited up for the exhibition.
Jefferson’s original claim implied that Team Giannis had too much basketball talent compared to Team Anthony Anderson.
Giannis flipped the narrative by pointing to Charania as the supposed equalizer. While most of the roster could genuinely play, the inclusion of a full-time reporter created an obvious mismatch.
Team Giannis secures Celebrity All-Star victory
Despite the playful complaints, Team Giannis ultimately delivered on the court. They secured a 65-58 win over Team Anthony Anderson, validating Jefferson’s earlier suggestion that the roster might have had an edge.
The exhibition showcased a mix of entertainers, athletes, and personalities, but Team Giannis displayed slightly more cohesion down the stretch.
While Charania may have been the subject of jokes, the rest of the lineup stepped up to close out the contest.
The result ensured that Giannis could laugh last. Even with his tongue-in-cheek critique of one teammate, his squad still walked away victorious.
Between Jefferson’s fairness comment and Giannis’ Shams punchline, the matchup generated headlines beyond the scoreboard. In the end, Team Giannis proved too strong, even with what their captain jokingly called a handicap.
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