NFL rivalry in the Bucks locker room

January 13, 2020
|In Bucks
|By tonycartagena

Sports gambling, in any way shape or form, is prohibited in all locker rooms.

Friendly wagers between teammates, when their alma maters or favorite teams in other sports are squaring off, are great for team camaraderie, and entertaining for the rest of us.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks may have to make things interesting with forward D.J. Wilson this week.

Wilson, a native of Mount Shasta, CA., tweeted that the Green Bay Packers will be “eazy work” for his San Francisco 49ers next Sunday. The support of his home team came in response to Antetokounmpo’s “#GoPackGo” tweet after Green Bay beat the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night.

This isn’t the first rivalry in the Bucks locker room this season either.

Earlier this year, the Marquette Golden Eagles hosted Villanova at Fiserv Forum. Bucks guard Donte DiVincenzo won two National Championships while playing for the Wildcats. Meanwhile Wesley Matthews had an illustrious career for the Golden Eagles.

Although the two said there was wager on the game, both confirmed that their text messages chains contained a little more trash talk than usual.

Marquette upset the No.10 ranked Wildcats 71-60.

It’s on record that the Packers have been big supporters of the Bucks. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers does hold a minority ownership stake in the team and multiple players have shown up to watch games this season. Green Bay’s entire defense sat in a suite for a “team-bonding” night out, financed by the rookie class.

Za’Darius Smith actually showed his support for Milwaukee, and fellow Kentucky Wildcat Eric Bledsoe, before their playoff win over Seattle.

And, no one can forget the infamous chugging competitions that started with Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari sitting courtside.

Last week the Bucks and Packers announced a t-shirt collaboration, cheering on the Packers while raising money to fight hunger in the state of Wisconsin.

Other NBA players are fans of the green and gold as well. Chicago native Anthony Davis flew to Green Bay for Sunday night’s game, reportedly bringing teammates Rajon Rondo and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with him.