Giannis Antetokounmpo injury update: Bucks superstar gives cautiously optimistic news on return

Giannis Antetokounmpo updated on his calf injury following the Bucks' first team practice after the All-Star break. When asked about how his calf felt on Wednesday afternoon, the Greek superstar assured that he was feeling good but isn't fully confident about an immediate return.

Antetokounmpo, who last played on Feb. 2 against the Grizzlies, has been sidelined with a strain in his left calf. Eric Nehm of the Athletic reported that both Giannis and Damian Lillard participated in the Bucks' first team practice since the All-Star break.

When asked how his calf felt, the eight-time All-NBA member said he wasn't sure if he was 100% but is cautiously optimistic ahead of the Bucks' game against the LA Clippers on Thursday night.

"It felt good, but we'll see", said the two-time MVP.

Antetokounmpo added, "We'll see tomorrow if I'm 100 percent. I don't know yet."

With just 29 games left in the Bucks' schedule, it's of crucial importance to both him and the team that he doesn't rush back and potentially strain himself further.

With injuries having severely impacted Milwaukee's last two postseasons, it's the goal of everyone in the organization to get to the playoffs as intact as possible. The games-played minimum for end-of-season awards adds additional pressure to Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, as he's already missed 12 games this season.

If Giannis fails to suit up in five or more games, he will be disqualified from end-of-season awards eligibility, such as MVP or All-NBA honors. This would sting particularly hard as Antetokounmpo has been putting up another MVP-caliber season with averages of 31.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo gives his thoughts on new All-Star game format proposal

Few stars in today's NBA love the All-Star weekend celebrations like Giannis Antetokounmpo. Despite not suiting up for the All-Star game's new format due to an ongoing calf strain, the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks champion was all around All-Star weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Antetokounmpo was available for media questioning where he was asked for his opinion on a new potential format for the All-Star game. When confronted with the idea of a "Team World vs. Team USA", he didn't hide his intrigue at the thought.

“I would love that. I think it’d be the most interesting & most exciting format", said Antetokounmpo.

He added, "I'll take pride in that. I always compete but I think that would give me a little more extra juice".

Giannis spoke on how having the All-Stars play for national pride could incentivize them to go out and compete harder. The players' lack of intensity has been a recurring complaint about the All-Star game in recent years.

"Having Shai, Jokic, Luka, Wemby, Towns, Sengun... going against the best US players, I think it would be fun. I think that would be the best format", Antetokounmpo said.

The Greek Freak had a hard time containing his excitement at the thought of the very best international players going up against the best American players. Not only is there an added layer of national pride that would make guys play harder, but additionally, the format could offer an extremely competitive matchup given the upper-echelon talent on both sides.