Giannis Antetokounmpo’s EuroBasket Return: What This Means for Greece’s Championship Hopes

While Antetokounmpo’s name was frequently mentioned in trade speculation all summer, he has said he would “probably” return to the Bucks next season, and most around the league expect that outcome.

Giannis Antetokounmpo will play for Greece in FIBA EuroBasket. This is not a surprise — he had said that if he were healthy, he would play — but is now confirmed by the Greek national team.Victor Wembanyama is out for France, recovering from a blood clot issue in his shoulder, and Rudy Gobert will also not suit up for a French team that won the silver medal at the Paris Olympics a year ago. Nikola Jokic’s status for Serbia remains unknown. While he is on the preliminary 19-man roster the nation had to submit, his plans for the tournament itself are undecided (at least publicly).Giannis Antetokounmpo is gearing up to represent Greece in the upcoming FIBA EuroBasket, and honestly, it feels like the basketball cosmos is aligning just right. He’d already dropped hints about suiting up if health permitted, and now the Greek national team has officially put that seal of confirmation on it. With the tournament kicking off on August 27 and stretching close to the NBA training camp season, Giannis is, without a doubt, the towering beacon making Greece a formidable force. Reflecting on his jaw-dropping performances last summer in Paris and back in 2022, where he led scoring columns and was a relentless presence on the court, it’s clear why eyes will be glued to him. Yes, trade talk swirled all summer like a tempest around the NBA, but Giannis seems poised, fingers crossed, to keep donning the Bucks’ jersey next season. Alongside Luka Doncic of Slovenia, Giannis stands out like a marquee name among NBA talent flirting with European glory this year—players like Alperen Sengun, Franz Wagner, and Kristaps Porzingis add to the mix, while the uncertainty around Nikola Jokic’s participation and the unfortunate absences of Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert for France add layers of drama to the scene. This championship isn’t just about the games; it’s a riveting saga of talent, health gambles, and international pride intertwining on the hardwood. LEARN MORE

Antetokounmpo is the reason Greece is a threat in the tournament, which begins on Aug. 27 and runs almost up to the start of NBA training camps. Antetokounmpo was the leading scorer at the Paris Olympics last summer, averaging 25.8 points along with 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists across four games (Greece made it out of group play in the tournament but was knocked out in the quarterfinals by Germany). Antetokounmpo also was the leading scorer at the 2022 EuroBasket averaging 29.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists a game.Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic of Slovenia headline the NBA players participating in the European championships. Among the other NBA players expected to suit up are Alperen Sengun of Turkiye, Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr for France, Franz Wagner for Germany, Kristaps Porzingis for Latvia and Nikola Vukcevic for Montenegro.