MIAMI (AFP) — Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has had surgery on his left knee, the team confirmed Wednesday, leaving the basketball star’s participation for Greece in August’s FIBA World Cup in doubt.
“He had a routine surgery on his left knee, and it went great,” Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin said on Wednesday.
“Everything went as planned, and we expect him back ready to go in training camp.”
The Bucks are expected to begin their camp in early- to mid-September with the World Cup starting 25 August and running until 10 September that the Philippines will host.
The Athletic cited a league source as saying that Antetokounmpo’s availability for Greece is “in question” after what it described as surgery to “clean up loose cartilage in his left knee.”
The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player suffered a back injury during game one of the Bucks’ first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat and did not return until Game 4.
The Bucks, the top seed in the East, were upset in five by Miami in the best-of-seven series.
Greece has been drawn in Group C with the United States, New Zealand and Jordan.
Losing Antetokounmpo would be a huge blow to Greece’s hopes in the tournament.
He was top scorer in last year’s EuroBasket tournament, averaging 29.3 points although his team went out in the round-of-16 to the Czech Republic.
Antetokounmpo was part of the Greece team at the 2019 World Cup which failed to get out of the group stage.
The 28-year-old’s older brother and Bucks’ teammate, Thanasis, is also part of the Greece squad along with his younger brother Kostas, who plays for Greek club Panathinaikos.
Antetokounmpo possible withdrawal is another setback to the prestigious 32-nation tournament.
Prior to him, Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons begged off from competing for Australia due to back injury.
The Boomers will be playing the preliminaries in Okinawa where they will face host Japan, Germany and Finland.
“Ben needs more time to focus on his rehab and he looks forward to being part of the Boomers in the future,” Basketball Australia said in a social media post.
“We wish Ben all the best in his recovery.”
The Japanese are also being bothered by personnel shortage.
Their biggest export to the NBA in Rui Hachimura also begged off as he wants to rest following a grueling campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers the past season while focusing on his options in the free agency.
“I have made the decision to withdraw from this year’s FIBA World Cup,” Hachimura said through the Japan Basketball Association.
“It was a very difficult decision, but after the last season stretching into the Playoffs, I decided to prioritize my future in the NBA and prepare for my first free agency.”
“In addition, I will focus on working this summer to prepare for the next season.”
Same goes for France with Joel Embiid and this year’s top overall pick in the NBA in 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama begging off.
“Not this year. We don’t know. It’s up to him to decide. We await his decision and are hopeful,” France coach Vincent Collet said, referring to the status of Embiid, who got naturalized last year.
