Sports
Giannis Antetokounmpo leads Greece men's basketball team to its first Olympic Games since 2008 – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Giannis Antetokounmpo accomplished another important career goal on Sunday, leading his home country to its first Olympic Games in men’s basketball since 2008.
After a tight first half Greece eventually dispatched Croatia, 80-69, in a FIBA qualifying tournament final in Piraeus, Greece, securing the Greeks a spot in the Paris Games. Greece made the Olympics in 1952, 1996, 2004 and 2008. The 2004 team was an automatic entrant as the host country. The country has never medaled in the sport.
The Milwaukee Bucks star scored 23 points and had eight rebounds in 29 minutes of play in a bit of a revenge game for Greece, as Croatia won a qualifying game in 2016 to keep Greece out of the Olympic Games in Brazil.
Dominican High School alumnus Kostas Antetokounmpo is also on the Greek national team, but did not play against Croatia. Former Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who tore his left Achilles tendon in June, cannot play but is also with the team.
Giannis trending:Antetokounmpo has heartwarming moment with his two young sons after leading Greece to Olympics
The opening ceremonies of the Games is July 26 on the Seine river.
Since 1928 Greece has been the first country in the procession of nations to open the Games, an honorific to its ancient history with the competition. If Antetokounmpo is selected to carry the Greek flag, he will become the first Black athlete to represent the nation in such a way.
What do readers think:Should Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo be playing for the Greek national team this summer?
Greece is slotted in Group A in the Olympics, which includes Australia, Canada and Spain. Australia and Canada are strong medal contenders as the fifth- and seventh-ranked teams in the world.
Greece plays Canada on July 27 in its first pool play game at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. They then play Spain on July 30 and Australia on Aug. 2.
Should Greece advance, quarterfinal play begins Aug. 6 in Bercy Arena in Paris. The semifinals are Aug. 8 and the medal games are on Aug. 10.
Bucks training camp dates have not been announced but during Olympic years, NBA camps are typically pushed back to allow participants a little more time to recover. The league’s first preseason games are Oct. 4 and 6 in Abu Dhabi.
Antetokounmpo has represented Greece in international competition in some capacity since 2014 and has typically played well for the Bucks afterward. He followed 2016 qualifying play for Greece by winning the NBA’s most improved player award. He followed 2019 World Cup play with his second NBA MVP season and 2022 EuroBasket play with his career-best scoring season.
