Remember those far-away halcyon days of two months ago, when the biggest concerns we seemed to have in Milwaukee were if the Bucks were going to make it to the Finals – and, most importantly, if Giannis would go elsewhere in free agency after next season or stay in Brew City. Let's quick travel back to those times – and, best of all, read a piece that offers substantial hope for the latter.

Sports Illustrated's daily cover piece, "The New Colossus," courtesy of writer Steve Rushin, chronicles the close relationship between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee – but Rushin also goes far deeper than that. You can tell because the name "Giannis" doesn't come up until well into the third paragraph, instead focusing on Alex Antetokounmpo, the youngest of the five Antetokounmpo brothers and a current Dominican High School basketball standout. From there, Rushin elaborates on the tight-knit relationship between the entire Antetokounmpo family as well as the city that they call home – from their first impressions to the community they've found in our often-overlooked (and, in the case of sports stars, often scorned) Midwestern city.

As Rushin writes:

"Though Christian Yelich, the Brewers’ star outfielder, just signed a nine-year extension to stick around, Giannis can become a free agent after next season. This current limboed season is unlikely to affect the service time of NBA players, which means the Freak could conceivably leave town for sunnier climes, if not greener pastures. (In the arcane economy of the NBA, the Bucks can still pay Giannis more than any other suitor.) He is in the third year of a four-year, $100 million deal and could sign an extension as early as this summer. And for the far-flung Antetokounmpo brothers—born in Greece to Nigerian parents—the family home has become this unlikely locale of Friday fish fries and Drink Wisconsinbly T-shirts. 'For sure, for sure,' says Thanasis, standing beneath the Greek and Nigerian and American flags suspended from the rafters in the Bucks’ glittering new practice facility. 'Home is where your family is. And my mom and my brothers are here.'"

It's a heartwarming story – and I'm not just saying it's heartwarming because the piece REALLY makes it sound like Giannis and the rest of the Antetokounmpos really like living in Milwaukee and seem to really like the idea of keeping it that way. Rushin's cover story is rich in detail about the Antetokounmpo family and their experience acclimating to the new worlds of America and Milwaukee over the past several years as well as rich in detail about Brew City.

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Milwaukee hopes its special relationship with Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family keeps him home https://t.co/uFQUBqHnl7 — Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 10, 2020

The Sports Illustrated piece is all definitely worth giving a full read right here (and for a bonus refresher on his climb from Greece to NBA stardom, check out this piece too). Be warned, though: If you thought you missed watching Giannis and the Bucks play basketball before reading this piece, you'll only long for it more afterwards.