Antonio, 35, served the club for a decade between 2015 and 2025 and remains the Hammers' all-time record Premier League goalscorer. His final year was derailed by a devastating car crash in December 2024 in which he suffered a serious leg fracture.
He was in rehabilitation when Potter took charge at the London Stadium in January 2025, and never played under the manager before being released at the end of the season.
Speaking to The Times, Antonio was blunt about how that played out.
"Graham never actually got to know me because I was doing rehab. I'd be at the club for a week, then away again and he never got to experience me as a person, never really got to see me on a full pitch, just me hobbling around on a field after an accident where my leg's not the best.
"So he didn't actually experience the person Michail Antonio or the player Michail Antonio — and now he's making a decision on my life."
He drew a direct comparison with his relationship with previous manager Julen Lopetegui, who gave him a regular role before his own dismissal in January 2025.
"If Lopetegui was there, I know for a fact I'd have got another contract. Whereas Graham wasn't doing well, his record wasn't good, he's coming into a new season and making a decision about me."
The manner of his exit compounded his frustration: "What hurt me most was I was there during the whole pre-season but they didn't even want to give me a minute on the pitch to say goodbye to the fans. They offered me a terrible contract that was until January but said I'm not allowed to play a first-team game, I'm only allowed to play for the under-21s."
When he tried to understand whose decision it was, he says he was pointed in circles: "When I went to him, he'd be like, 'It's not me, it's the chairman.' But I'd go to the chairman and he'd say, 'It's Graham Potter, he doesn't want you.' I knew it was Graham."
Potter was sacked by West Ham United in September 2025 with the club bottom of the Premier League. His removal of Antonio, Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski and Vladimir Coufal in the summer stripped the squad of more than 28 years of combined experience. He was succeeded by Nuno Espírito Santo, and then David Moyes, as the club fell into a relegation battle they could not escape.
West Ham were relegated on the final day of the season. Potter left the club before he could see the consequences of his decisions. Antonio watched it unfold from the outside.