Greece has yet to qualify for the 12-team Paris Olympics basketball tournament. It will host a six-team qualifying tournament from July 2-7, with one of the teams qualifying for a slot in Paris.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will suit up for Greece in that tournament, according to the Greek coach.
Greek NT head coach Vasilis Spanoulis confirmed that Giannis Antetokounmpo will play in the pre-olympic tournament (July 2-7, Piraeus).
— Harris Stavrou (@harris_stavrou) June 1, 2024
Antetokounmpo has been out since April 10 with a calf strain, which cost him the last three games of the regular season and the Bucks’ entire playoff series against Indiana. After the playoffs, he said he hoped to be able to play for Greece this summer, but it would depend on how he healed.
Antetokounmpo has regularly represented Greece in international competitions, most recently the 2022 EuroBasket. However, he has not represented Greece in the Olympics because the nation hasn’t qualified for the 12-team tournament since 2008 in Beijing (when Antetokounmpo was 14).
It’s going to be tough to qualify out of this group, which also includes Luka Doncic and Slovenia (although whether Doncic plays this summer after a run to the NBA Finals is in question). Also in this group are New Zealand, Croatia, Egypt, and the Dominican Republic. Only one of those teams will walk in the opening ceremonies in Paris.
