Milwaukee Bucks star and league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will rejoin his roots in company of his two brothers, once again representing his homeland Greece in the upcoming FIBA World Cup. The most valuable player of the 2018-19 season did not play with the team the past two summers, hoping to focus on his development, but will resume this time around alongside brothers Thanasis and Kostas:
“I feel great, it’s an amazing feeling to represent my country again after two years,” Antetokounmpo told Stefan Djordjevic of Eurohoops. “It’s a great thing to have my siblings next to me in the training camp.”
Greek coach Thanasis Skourtopoulos has been very proud of the national team in the past couple of years:
“You all know that we started an effort two years ago in an unprecedented situation,” he said. “We decided to create a group of 35 players and after two years I can say that the program has succeeded. Everyone who was called has really helped, and today we are all happy to be here. We have a great group and great characters. We are embarking on this journey and hope to have your positive aura to succeed.”
Antetokounmpo knows the team will face some level of pressure with him and his NBA brothers taking part, but such is the nature of international competition, where teams are at times judged in respect to their star power.
Greece had its best showing at the World Cup level in 2006, going 8-1 in competition, as they brought home a silver medal after losing to Spain in the gold-medal game.
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