Giannis Antetokounmpo called Nick Kyrgios 'the Dennis Rodman of tennis' and joked about his 'shaky personality'

• Giannis Antetokounmpo called Nick Kyrgios "the Dennis Rodman of tennis."
• The basketball and tennis star are friendly and have a connection through their Greek roots.
• Kyrgios is notorious for his antics, and Antetokounmpo joked that he has a "shaky personality."

Giannis Antetokounmpo may be one of the best basketball players on the planet, but his "tennis skills are terrible."

Still, he's a fan of the game, and he's particularly fond of the Greek players who have found success on the circuit.

With the 2021 Australian Open just days away, Antetokounmpo has his eye on fellow countryman Stefanos Tsitsipas. But when a reporter instead asked about Nick Kyrgios - an Australia native whose father is Greek - Antetokounmpo responded "Awww, Nick Kyrgios? Why Nick Kyrgios?"

"Nick Kyrgios? Eh, kind of shaky personality," Antetokounmpo said. "He's basically - how can I say this politely? He's the Dennis Rodman of tennis."

Like Rodman, the infamous "bad boy" of the late 1990s Chicago Bulls, Kyrgios is notorious for his off-court antics and abundance of personality. And on the court, the 25-year-old has done plenty to make enemies: throwing chairs, taunting opponents, smashing racquets, and cursing out umpires en route to a steady top-50 ATP ranking.

Even still, Antetokounmpo called him a "good guy."

"No, no, I'm joking," Antetokounmpo said, smiling. "I had the opportunity to talk to him a little bit. I think he's a Miami Heat fan, but I wish him the best of luck."

According to his Twitter bio, Kyrgios is actually a Boston Celtics fan. But that didn't stop the tennis star from showing the Milwaukee Bucks star and back-to-back NBA MVP some love once the interview was shared on social media.

"Haha my boy @Giannis_An34 ❤️❤️ love you!!!" Kyrgios wrote as he reshared Antetokounmpo's comments. "Keep doing you and inspiring brother."

—Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 29, 2021