Story by
Why Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo could miss Eurobasket entirely
- Story by
- Why Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo could miss Eurobasket entirely
The post Why Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo could miss Eurobasket entirely appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has yet to join the Greek national team's training camp as they prepare for EuroBasket 2025, raising questions about whether the two-time NBA MVP will be available for the tournament.
Advertisement
The Greek Freak is waiting for formal, written clearance from the Bucks before he can participate in team activities, according to Aris Barkas and Stavros Barbarousis of Eurohoops. Without this authorization, he is unable to play in exhibitions or practice sessions.
Statistically, Giannis remains one of the league's most dominant players. During the 2024–25 regular season, he averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game, while posting 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks in 34.2 minutes per contest, shooting 22.2% from three and 61.7% from the field. In the playoffs, he increased his output to 33.0 points, 15.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, maintaining over 37 minutes of playtime per game.
Unlike most NBA players, who typically don't need their team's permission to compete internationally, Giannis Antetokounmpo 's situation is unique due to the size of his contract.
The standard FIBA insurance policy, covered by the Greek Basketball Federation, does not sufficiently protect the Bucks' financial investment in Giannis if he suffers a major injury. The policy caps the payout, which puts the team at risk, so the Bucks must provide written consent.
Advertisement
This insurance limitation is shared by other high-profile NBA players such as Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers . However, both Jokic and Doncic have already received clearance and are actively participating in EuroBasket preparation games for their respective national teams.
Giannis, on the other hand, has missed multiple exhibitions, including the marquee game in Cyprus against Serbia and Jokic, as well as Greece's match against Montenegro on August 14.
The FIBA–NBA agreement allows NBA players to join their national teams' training camps starting 28 days before a major FIBA competition. Since Greece opens EuroBasket play on August 28, Antetokounmpo could have begun training on August 1 under normal circumstances.
Greece still holds remaining warm-up opportunities, including the Acropolis Tournament and a final exhibition against France on August 24, but the Bucks' clearance will determine whether Giannis can participate.
Advertisement
Antetokounmpo's absence comes amid continued speculation regarding his future with the Bucks. Shams Charania of ESPN recently reported that the 30-year-old forward is uncertain whether he can realistically secure another NBA championship while remaining in Milwaukee .
Over his 12 seasons with the Bucks, Giannis has averaged 23.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists across 859 regular-season games, earning 9 All-Star selections, 2 MVP awards, 1 Finals MVP, 1 NBA championship, and multiple other awards.
Related: Cole Anthony reflects on 'crazy' Magic trade, joining Bucks' title pursuit
Related: Sun rumors: Ex-Bucks owner matches Celtics minority owner's $325M franchise bid
