Giannis Antetokounmpo brutally exposed the Milwaukee Bucks as he disputed the team’s claim that he is not healthy enough to play amid an NBA investigation.
Antetokounmpo missed a 10th straight game on Friday night against the Boston Celtics due to what the team has described as a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise.
The Bucks forward hasn’t played since landing awkwardly during a March 15 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
With Antetokounmpo continuing to be sidelined, the league has launched an investigation into the Bucks for their handling of the player participating policy and potential inconsistent statements regarding his health, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The NBA reportedly interviewed both the team and Antetokounmpo. Yet, the two parties are said to have told two different tales.
Antetokounmpo informed the NBA he wants to play but the team will not medically clear him, the report added.
Giannis Antetokounmpo brutally hit out at the Milwaukee Bucks over his injury on Friday
The Bucks forward hasn’t played since March 15, despite his insistence that he’s healthy
The ‘Greek Freak’ doubled down on his side of the saga before Friday’s game, insisting that he was healthy to play.
‘I’m healthy,’ Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Athletic. ‘I hate it when people force me to do things against my nature. I’m a player. I get paid to play.’
‘You know who you’re dealing with,’ he told reporters. ‘So, for somebody to come and tell me to not play or to not compete, it’s like a slap in my face.’
The NBA has been looking into the situation, previously issuing a statement last month after the dispute attracted its attention.
‘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 union said in a statement.
‘Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.’
Antetokounmpo addressed the probe on Friday, adding: ‘I’ve never seen a case of a player saying, my caliber of player, that’s like – I’m saying it publicly – I want to f***ing play. You know what I’m saying?
‘I don’t think I’ve seen this. So, if there needs to be an investigation, great. There should be. I don’t know. There should be. Until we figure something out.’
The NBA (Pictured: Commissioner Adam Silver) has launched an investigation into the Bucks
For the last couple of weeks, Antetokounmpo has participated in pregame warmups without showing any apparent signs of injury.
Antetokounmpo also noted that the Bucks should have known this about him since the 31-year-old has spent his entire 13-year career in Milwaukee.
Throughout that time, Antetokounmpo has had a reputation for rapid returns from injury, most notably when he hyperextended his knee during Milwaukee´s 2021 playoff run but missed two games before returning to lead the Bucks to their first title in half a century.
The Bucks still had a remote chance of earning a 10th straight playoff berth at the time of that Indiana game, but they were officially eliminated from contention last week. There’s also the possibility of Antetokounmpo getting hurt again if he returns to action – he has missed a career-high 41 games this season and had two extended absences due to calf strains.
‘I understand the circumstances – yes, we’re not going to be in the playoffs,’ Antetokounmpo said. ‘For some people’s eyes, it’s not worth it for me to be out there. But for me, it’s something that goes against my nature.’
Antetokounmpo also wanted the opportunity to play alongside his younger brother, Alex, who made his NBA debut Sunday. There was a possibility of three Antetokounmpo brothers playing alongside each other in the same game, since Giannis´ older brother, Thanasis, also is on the Bucks.
Milwaukee suffered a 133-101 defeat to the Boston Celtics without Antetokounmpo on Friday
‘When my dad passed away, I pretty much raised (Alex),’ Antetokounmpo said. ‘He’s able to be on the team and suit up and chase an opportunity to be great. You really think I don’t want to suit up and play with my brother? Anybody who thinks that is an idiot.’
This dispute between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks comes at a time when his future in Milwaukee is uncertain. Antetokounmpo’s name dominated league-wide discussions leading up to the trade deadline, though the Bucks ultimately kept him.
Antetokounmpo becomes eligible to sign a four-year contract extension worth up to $275 million in October. If he doesn’t sign the extension, Antetokounmpo could become a free agent after the 2026-27 season, or the Bucks could decide to trade him beforehand.
Now they find themselves at odds over how to handle the rest of this season.
