The post Greek Federation calls out ‘malicious’ rumors about Bucks’ Giannis missing EuroBasket appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Despite conflicting reports regarding the status of Greece’s men’s basketball team competing in EuroBasket without its best player, Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo will play in Greece’s next matchup. The Greek Basketball Federation also issued a statement, calling out the “malicious” rumors surrounding Antetokounmpo’s status on whether he’d be playing.
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The Greek Basketball Federation addressed the Antetokounmpo rumors in the following statement, per EuroHoops.net.
“The Federation doesn’t bother with and doesn’t answer to anything malicious regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo’s participation with the national team that has been written these days,” The Greek Federation stated. “All these circles that have created these are guided by ‘para-centers’ that knew very well that everything they were saying and writing were lies.
“They manufactured a non-existent issue because their sole goal was to mislead the public opinion and harm the unity and concentration of the national team with their lies. Unfortunately, it’s one more sample of some people using the national team to transmit their toxicity to basketball.”
Greece coach Vassilis Spanoulis confirmed that Antetokounmpo will make his first appearance in the Akropolis Tournament opener against Kristaps Porzingis and Latvia on Aug. 20. Greece will also face Italy on Aug. 22 and France on Aug. 24 before beginning EuroBasket competition.
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Greece head coach hints at Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Greece head coach Vassilis Spanoulis was anticipating Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s return to the national team, hinting at the notion that Antetokounmpo will eventually be in action. He was in street clothes for Saturday’s exhibition against Germany.
Spanoulis addressed Antetokounmpo’s status, per EuroHoops.
“He will be fine. On Saturday, he will start training with us normally, which was our plan. He is already working with us on the 5-0,” Spanoulis said. “He already had a training session with contact with some guys from our team. On Saturday, he will start training normally.”
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The Bucks granted written permission for Antetokounmpo to participate. The clearance was required because of insurance protections tied to his NBA contract, a process that also affected fellow stars in Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic and Lakers All-Star Luka Doncic.
The Greek national team has not won EuroBasket since 2005 and last earned a medal in 2009. This year, it will compete in Group C alongside Italy, Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and host Cyprus. The top four teams from each group advance to the knockout stage in Riga, Latvia. Antetokounmpo will face off against Porzingis and Latvia on August 20.
Related: When Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to play first game with Greece this summer
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