There’s never really an offseason when Giannis Antetokounmpo is involved, is there? Just when things feel like they’re quieting down, the man finds a way to stir up two continents at once. While most NBA stars are kicking back during the summer lull, Giannis? He’s charging into battle this time, with a Greek flag in hand. What makes it even juicier? All this is happening while whispers about his future in Milwaukee keep getting louder behind the scenes.
Remember when he skipped the FIBA World Cup last year? Yeah, none of that this time. He’s all in. Fully healthy. Locked in. Videos from the training camp show him sprinting, dunking, flying up and down the court like that knee soreness in April never happened. Greece is counting on him to anchor their EuroBasket 2025 run, and they’re not alone in watching closely. With the Knicks reportedly keeping tabs on his every move, the pressure around Giannis feels more unpredictable than ever. And just like that, the puzzle pieces start moving again.
Giannis made it official with a quiet but powerful Instagram post: . No caption. No long message. Just a single emoji, a jersey, and the Greek flag held high as he posed in his national team kit. That single frame said it all. His focus has shifted, at least for now. He’s locked in on EuroBasket, suiting up for Hellas and embracing the role of a leader once again. This isn’t just a casual offseason flex. It’s a statement.
After skipping the 2023 World Cup, he vowed to play if healthy– and now, here he is. No holding back. Greece kicks things off against Belgium on August 6 in a friendly, then rolls into a brutal Group C slate that includes Italy, Spain, and Bosnia. Giannis is back where it all started- only this time, the stakes stretch far beyond the European hardwood.
And Greece isn’t just tossing him out there solo. The roster’s loaded with a mix of gritty vets like Kostas Sloukas and Kostas Papanikolaou, and exciting young guys like Alexandros Samodurov. Head coach Vassilis Spanoulis is shaking things up too, bringing a high-tempo, switch-heavy defense that’s built to unleash Giannis at full speed.
If the training footage is anything to go by, he’s more than ready. That knee looks solid. The handles are sharp. And he’s moving like a man on a mission. This EuroBasket stretch might be the mental and physical reset he’s needed. Something to recalibrate before the next big chapter, whatever that may be.
Giannis could’ve easily sat this summer out, watched the NBA storm unfold from a safe distance. But instead, he’s putting himself out there- playing, leading, showing the world he’s still got it. That decision, intentional or not, gives Milwaukee a reason to keep believing. But it also gives suitors like New York more data points. Because once this EuroBasket run wraps up, and training camps open, the real questions will come charging in. For now, though, all eyes are on the blue and white, and the man carrying their hopes into battle.
Knicks circle Giannis as exit talk catches heat again
The timing isn’t lost on anyone. Just as Giannis touches down in Athens, the NBA rumor mill starts humming again. The New York Knicks, in typical fashion, are watching everything unfold with binoculars and calculators in hand. “It is my understanding that Leon Rose and company have been monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo’s situation in Milwaukee very closely, even before the offseason started,” wrote James L. Edwards III. “Many around the league believe the Knicks are interested in star hunting.” And when the right name pops up, they’re expected to pounce.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Basketball – Men’s Group Phase – Group A – Australia vs Greece – Lille, Pierre Mauroy Stadium, Villeneve-d’Ascq, France – Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece reacts REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
This isn’t just casual browsing either. New York locked in Mikal Bridges on a four-year, $150 million extension just days before August 6- making him eligible to be traded before February’s deadline. That timing? Not a coincidence. Bridges’ deal was structured with flexibility in mind, just in case a superstar like Giannis does hit the market midseason. This isn’t reckless desperation from New York. It’s calculated. They’ve stacked assets, signed depth, and prepped themselves for exactly this kind of opening.
And the Bucks? They’re not deaf to the noise. After stretch-waiving Damian Lillard and absorbing Myles Turner’s contract, it’s clear they’re scrambling to rebuild trust with their star. But even now, insiders claim Giannis is still “weighing” whether the current core has what it takes. He’s got two years left on his contract, with a player option in 2027–28 and a potential $293.4 million extension on the table next summer. That gives him leverage- and the Bucks, limited time.
If things go south this season, don’t be surprised if the Greek Freak’s next post isn’t in a EuroBasket jersey, but in a different NBA uniform.
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