The Greek men's basketball squad has shared details regarding the availability of Giannis Antetokounmpo for the FIBA World Cup 2023, and it isn't looking good. According to Greece, its star player could remain on the sidelines as he continues to deal with a knee issue.
The Greek Freak underwent a cleanup procedure on his knee in July. So, there's a huge chance that the Milwaukee Bucks star might not be able to play for the national team this summer.
The All-Star forward is currently in the USA as he tries to get his knee recovered. Giannis is still hopeful that he'll be able to play for his national team this summer and give the Greeks a chance at finishing strong in the tournament. According to sources, Antetokounmpo could make his decision if he'll still attempt to play or not.
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A Greek public radio host, Vangelis Ioannou, talked about the current state of the two-time MVP.
"The goal is to make a definite decision as to whether he'll be able to join Greece down the road, provided his doctors allow him to do so," Ioannou said.
Reports have said that this is his second trip to America regarding his knee. His camp is also doing everything in "consultation with the Greek federation, the team's coaching and medical staff, and the Bucks' medical staff as well."
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Coach Dimitris Itoudis is doubtful if Giannis Antetokounmpo will play for the Greek national squad this year
There's been doubt surrounding the availability of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the upcoming FIBA World Cup 2023. With his knee issues, there's a huge chance the Greeks will be competing on the international stage without their best player. Losing Giannis could cripple their offense, and coach Dimitris Itoudis is finding it hard to stay optimistic.
"My information is that Giannis is making an effort," Itoudis said. "His status is being reviewed, and soon we will have a final decision on whether he'll make it or not. We're talking about the best player in the world. He has proven that many times.
"So, I think it's worth waiting for him. At the same time, as a coach and as a basketball professional, I understand the question whether we should wait for Giannis. But the waiting is justified. Whether we will know before or after Slovenia, that's still up in the air.
"There were athletes who discussed with me. They informed us about the reasons why they can’t be here: Kostas Sloukas, Nick Calathes, Leonidas Kaselakis and Tyler Dorsey. The common denominator was that some of them were hindered by injuries, making it a hypothetical question as to whether they would be available. We are not in the fortunate position to have all of them."
The Greeks are hoping that Giannis Antetokounmpo can get back to full healthy to help the national team's chances of being a winner this year.
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