Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has not played since a knee hyperextension and bone bruise suffered earlier this season. According to a report by The Athletic, the Bucks have approached the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player about sitting out the remainder of the 2025-26 regular season given the team's slim chances of reaching the play-in tournament, an idea Antetokounmpo rejected.
Antetokounmpo, a 30-year-old power forward from Greece who led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA championship, has been with Milwaukee since being drafted 15th overall in 2013.[1][2] The Bucks fired coach Mike Budenholzer on May 22, 2024, following a first-round playoff exit to the Indiana Pacers.[3]
The reported disagreement between the Bucks and Antetokounmpo prompted a statement from the National Basketball Players Association. "The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court," the NBPA said. The union called for stronger enforcement of anti-tanking measures.
The NBA's Player Participation Policy, introduced ahead of the 2023-24 season, aims to limit load management by requiring star players to meet minimum game thresholds for award eligibility and All-NBA consideration.[4]
The Bucks passed on trading Antetokounmpo ahead of the league's February trade deadline. With under two weeks remaining in the regular season, Milwaukee sits outside the Eastern Conference playoff positions.
Sources
- NBA.com
Publisher: NBA
Title: Giannis Antetokounmpo Player Profile
Accessed: 2024-10-01
https://www.nba.com/player/343155/giannis-antetokounmpo - Wikipedia
Publisher: Wikipedia
Title: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Accessed: 2024-10-01
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giannis_Antetokounmpo - NBA.com
Publisher: NBA
Title: Milwaukee Bucks fire head coach Mike Budenholzer
Publication date: May 22, 2024
https://www.nba.com/news/milwaukee-bucks-fire-head-coach-mike-budenholzer - NBA.com
Publisher: NBA
Title: NBA Announces New Player Participation Policy For 2023-24 Season
Publication date: October 16, 2023
https://www.nba.com/news/player-participation-policy-2023-24-season
