Athens, Greece Greek national team coach Vassilis Spanoulis has confirmed that Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo intends to play for Greece in the 2025 EuroBasket this summer, assuming the team qualifies.
Speaking ahead of Greece’s final qualifying window games against Czechia and the Netherlands, Spanoulis emphasized the positive bond formed within the national team during their recent Olympic run. “It’s about what we built in the summer,” Spanoulis explained. “Not just me and Giannis, but between him and the rest of the players. He enjoyed our journey from the Olympic Qualifying Tournament to the Olympic Games, and he’s really motivated to play this summer.”
Greece is heavily favored to secure their EuroBasket berth. The tournament is scheduled to tip off on August 27th and conclude on September 14th, with games taking place in Cyprus, Finland, Poland, and Latvia.
Spanoulis also addressed several key absences from the current Greek squad. Thomas Walkup will miss the qualifying window due to injury, while Kostas Sloukas continues to recover from a lingering knee issue. Kostas Antetokounmpo, Giannis’s brother, is also unavailable following his recent transfer to UCAM Murcia.
The decision to omit Baskonia’s Nikos Rogkavopoulos, despite his availability, raised some eyebrows. Spanoulis briefly addressed the matter, stating, “I decided that other available players are a better fit to my approach, at the moment.” He did not elaborate further.
The return of Giannis Antetokounmpo would provide a significant boost to Greece’s medal hopes. The two-time NBA MVP last represented his country at the Tokyo Olympics. With a strong core of players and a revitalized team spirit under Spanoulis, Greece will be looking to make a deep run in the tournament.