Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 54 points on Thursday during a win against the Los Angeles Clippers. It was his third time reaching or surpassing the 50-point mark in his past 11 games, according to ESPN.
During a press conference after the game, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar shared his unique celebration plans with the assembled reporters.
“Tomorrow I think I’m going to go to Culver’s,” he said. “I’ll go get 50 cheeseburgers and try to eat as many as I can. The rest, I’ll have my son eat them or I give them to my dog.”
A video of his answer made the rounds on Twitter on Friday as people delighted in Antetokounmpo’s planned feast and shared their own love of popular burger chain, which is also known for its custard and cheese curds.
Many viewers highlighted Antetokounmpo’s comment that he “trust(s)” Culver’s and the small amount of shade he threw at Chick-fil-A.
“Last time, I went to Chick-fil-A and I got the nuggets. ... Chick-fil-A did not give me no free meals. I know Culver’s will give me free meals. I trust Culver’s,” he said, referencing how he celebrated his last 50-point game.
On Friday, Culver’s lived up to Antetokounmpo’s praise by tweeting about his performance during the Clippers game and promising him burgers and a big donation to the Milwaukee Diaper Mission.
“Giannis 54 burgers for you plus 54,000 diapers to Milwaukee Diaper Mission,” read the signs outside several Culver’s restaurants in Milwaukee Friday morning, according to a tweet from the main Culver’s Twitter account.
“We appreciate all that you and @mariahdanae15 (Antetokounmpo’s longtime partner) do for the city of Milwaukee,” the tweet said.
This week was not the first time Culver’s and Chick-fil-A battled for the NBA star’s love, according to WTMJ-TV, a Milwaukee news station.
The station’s article on Antetokounmpo’s Thursday night comments highlighted a 2021 tweet from Culver’s in which the chain offered the player free food for life after he asked Chick-fil-A for the same deal.