With the way some fans on Bucks Twitter talk about him, you would think that forward Bobby Portis Jr. is detrimental to his team, but when you show up at Fiserv Forum, it's a totally different story. Next to Giannis, the second-most-likely jersey you'll see these days is Portis'. From his community involvement to locker room leadership, strong relationship with Giannis Antetokounmpo and consistent on-court production, Bobby is beloved in Milwaukee.
Coming off his sixth season with the team, 31-year-old Portis is one of the most reliable contributors in this era of Bucks basketball. A consistent contender for the Sixth Man of the Year award, Portis upholds the culture and values of the Bucks' championship team, no matter what shape the roster around him takes — likely, one of the primary reasons he's still here while everyone else from the '21 title team has been traded or walked.
Throughout the year, Portis has been the one player to give honest feedback on what's happening in and around the team. Making weekly appearances on FanDuel's Run It Back, Portis offers real insight to the team and its issues while sticking up for his teammates and coaches alike. He's the ultimate team player, and even now in an off-season full of uncertainty, he's still trying to hold the pieces together in the public eye.
Bobby Portis' defense of Giannis' timeliness might be the factor that keeps The Greek Freak in Milwaukee.
When Myles Turner pulled back the curtain on Giannis' lateness, Portis was one of the first people to defend the Greek Freak. He took to Twitter, quoting the post to ask if it was A.I. Later, during his next appearance on Run It Back, Bobby tastefully, but pointedly held Myles Turner accountable and asserted that this was a massive exaggeration.
To be honest, the truth lies somewhere between these two perspectives. Turner seems to have exaggerated about Giannis' lateness, and probably just learned a harsh lesson about what you can and can't say on a podcast as an active NBA player. He is taking heat from Bucks legends and around the league for breaking an unspoken code and throwing a teammate under the bus.
What this means for Turner's future in Milwaukee is a story for another day. What stands out here is that Portis is a ride-or-die for his friend, Giannis, and for Bucks fans alike. He's always willing to keep it real — whether people like it or not. He's a powerful advocate for the franchise, and he knows that nothing will be the same if the Bucks decide to trade Giannis this summer.
Portis has built a home here in Milwaukee. He planted roots within the community, and clearly still believes that Giannis, the franchise, and he all have the same goal in mind: winning the next championship.
In defending Giannis, Portis showed that Giannis still has a support system in Milwaukee. Whatever needs to be sorted between Turner and the rest of the team will likely be dealt with behind closed doors. But with his defense, Portis might've just saved this situation from spiraling out of control.
If you have problems with his style of play, that's an acceptable reason for criticism. But if you are a true Bucks fan, you know what Bobby Portis means to this franchise off the court — and right now?
That's unquantifiable impact. Bobby Portis is a Bucks legend forever, whether you like it or not.
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