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Giannis: I could never see myself playing in L.A.

Dylan Buell / Getty Images Sport / Getty

There's a presumption - real or imagined - that NBA superstars prefer playing under the bright lights of big media markets. And no major market is glitzier than Los Angeles, as both home to Hollywood and the cradle of contemporary basketball.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo says he's not that impressed at the idea of playing in L.A., however.

"I could never see myself being out there," Antetokounmpo said after returning from All-Star weekend, according to the Journal Sentinel's Matt Velazquez. "It’s great for two, three days but it's a little bit - things are going a little bit crazy."

The 23-year-old Athens, Greece, native apparently prefers the quieter Midwestern charm of Milwaukee.

"In Milwaukee - I love Milwaukee - it's low-key. I can walk down the road, down the streets without anybody bugging me - nobody interrupts my conversation or anything. I love how quiet and calm Milwaukee is."

While there's little doubt big-money sponsors and TV networks would prefer the NBA's biggest stars to play in metropolises like Los Angeles or New York, there's not much they can do if a player wants to ply his trade in the nation's 31st-largest city.

Antetokounmpo's current contract with the Bucks runs through 2021.

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