Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is not in attendance at the team's Media Day on Monday after testing positive for COVID, general manager Jon Horst announced.
Antetokounmpo has been stuck in Greece and is unable to travel as a result of his illness. However, there is a chance Antetokounmpo will talk with reporters and the media later in the day via a Zoom call.
The good news for Giannis and the Bucks is that he should be cleared to travel and join the team for training camp and the start of the NBA preseason by the end of the week. There aren't any concerns that this will be a prolonged absence.
Then again, the NBA monitors COVID situations closely and does still have strict protocols in place to ensure the health of the league at large. Upon returning to Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo will be tested again to ensure he is 100 percent before rejoining the team.
Recently, the Bucks star participated in the EuroBasket 2025 tournament and led Greece to the bronze medal. He averaged 27.3 points per game in the European tournament, further solidifying his title as one of the greatest basketball players in the world.
After claiming bronze for his home country, Antetokounmpo sent a message to Greece about his historic accomplishment.
“I always like to live in the present. This was something that I hadn't accomplished in my career, and I'm very, very happy that I accomplished this, on top of coach Vassilis,” Giannis said at EuroBasket 2025. “This if not better than the championship I won with the Bucks. Obviously, winning a championship for the NBA is a huge accomplishment.
“When you're able to make 12 million Greeks happy and being able to inspire the next generation the way that they inspired us and the way that previous generations in 1987 inspired them, I think it's the biggest thing ever.”
Now, Giannis will put representing his country in the rear-view mirror and refocus on the Bucks' championship pursuit.
Bucks, Giannis immediate outlook
To say things have been rocky in Milwaukee since their 2021 title run would be an understatement.
The Bucks have lost in the first round of the playoffs three straight years, and this has led to rampant speculation about whether Antetokounmpo is seriously considering a change in his career.
Milwaukee has made it clear they will do whatever it takes to win with Giannis and keep him in a Bucks uniform long-term, which is why they made an aggressive move to move off Damian Lillard, who tore his Achilles in the playoffs, and replace him with Myles Turner, who helped lead the Indiana Pacers to the 2025 NBA Finals.
Both Giannis and the Bucks' leadership have been in contact with one another throughout the offseason, and they seem to be in a good place entering the 2025-26 season.
“I had a great conversation with Giannis back in June out here, where he was very committed to Milwaukee,” Bucks Owner Wes Edens told reporters on Monday. “Once we talked with Giannis early in the offseason, he reiterated that he wanted to be here. I think that then the organization all got behind trying to create the best version of ourselves.”
With how wide open the Eastern Conference is this season as a result of injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, there is a clear path for Giannis and the Bucks to regain their championship relevance.
Time will tell whether Milwaukee can achieve its ultimate goals and live up to Antetokounmpo's championship dreams.
