With EuroBasket 2025 set to tip off in just over one week, Giannis Antetokounmpo's availability has become a major headline (alongside Luka Dončić's health status) ahead of the international tournament.
Antetokounmpo had reportedly been held out of the Greece national team's practices and exhibition games ahead of the tournament as he seeks written approval from the Milwaukee Bucks to participate in team activities. According to recent reports in Greece, the team's conversations with the Hellenic Basketball Federation regarding insurance payments had become increasingly contentious.
The Hellenic Basketball Federation, the governing body of the sport in Greece, has since issued a statement about the nature of those conversations and Antetokounmpo's availability for EuroBasket 2025.
Hellenic Basketball Federation claims "conspirators" have "fabricated a non-existent issue"
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, SPORT24's Harris Stavrou reposted the organization's statement, which claims that the ongoing situation involing Antetokounmpo and the Bucks has been blown out of proportion.
"Greek Basketball Federation does not deal with and does not respond to everything malicious that was written about the participation of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the National Team. The circles that created them were directed by 'conspirators' and they knew very well what they said and wrote were lies," the organization wrote. "They fabricated a non-existent issue, with the sole goal to disorient the public opinion with their lies and harm the unity of our national team. Unfortunately, this is another example of how some people use the national team to put their toxicity to basketball."
That, and a video recently posted on the federation's Instagram page showing Antetkounmpo on the court during a practice session, serve as positive signs that he will suit up for the Greece national team this summer.
Greece's first game of the tournament will take place on Aug. 28 against Italy.