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Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo recently underwent a knee procedure two weeks ago and is uncertain for Greece's FIBA World Cup play this summer, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
As Charania states, Giannis' procedure was nothing more than a “cleanup,” as the two-time NBA MVP battled through some knee soreness and pain late in the 2022-23 season.
Just last week, reports surfaced of Antetokounmpo being listed as doubtful for the tournament, as the Bucks were not going to let him compete if he was not 100 percent healthy. Now, it looks very likely that one of the best player's on the planet will not be able to represent his country due to this knee procedure.
Finishing with the NBA's best record this past season at 58-24, the Bucks ended up losing in five games to the Miami Heat in the first-round of the playoffs. After a disappointing playoff exit, Milwaukee moved on from Mike Budenholzer and they hired former Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin as their head coach. The Bucks have also been busy this offseason in terms of their roster, as Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez both received new contracts.
As long as he is on the floor, the Bucks know that they are title contenders, which is why they are not willing to take any risks with Giannis. Playing in 63 games this past year, Antetokounmpo averaged a career-high 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game while shooting 55.3 percent from the floor. He has finished inside the Top-5 in MVP voting each of the last five seasons, winning the award in back-to-back years in 2019 and 2020.
Set to begin near the end of August, the 2023 FIBA World Cup is being hosted by the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. With Antetokounmpo as their leader, Greece qualified for the tournament and find themselves in the same group as Jordan, New Zealand and the United States. Their first game is scheduled for August 26 against Jordan.
