Will Giannis Antetokounmpo play for Greece in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics?
The Greek Freak is currently busy trying to help his team past the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. A lot of talk about Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially playing for Greece in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics has come up in recent days. The preliminary rounds for the Tokyo Olympics for basketball are scheduled to begin on July 24th. That means Giannis’ potential appearance in the Olympics is currently dependent on a range of factors.
This includes Greece making it to the Tokyo Olympics without him or his brother Thanasis, also employed in the Milwaukee Bucks’ title bid for this year. Greece is currently warming up for the Olympic Qualifiers tournament, and is set to tip-off their campaign with a game against Canada. Other teams participating in the Qualifiers are China, Uruguay and the Czech Republic, with Greece required to win at least three games to qualify for the semifinals.
Additionally, even if his country qualifies for the preliminary rounds, Giannis Antetokounmpo might not be able to take part due to fatigue or injury as well, with some other factors also at play.
2020 Tokyo Olympics: Will Giannis Antetokounmpo play for Greece?
Just a few days ago, Giannis’ agent Giorgos Panou claimed that the star forward is hoping to be a part of the Greek squad that plays in the Olympics.
“His goal is to be at Tokyo. Whenever he can be available and healthy, he will play for the National Team.”
However, it is his availability itself which might prove to be an issue. The Greek Qualifiers roster includes Kostas Antetokounmpo, who was knocked out with the LA Lakers in round 1 of the NBA Playoffs this year.
Assuming that Greece is able to qualify for the preliminary rounds in Tokyo, whether the NBA Finals begin on 6th July depends on the Eastern Conference Finals concluding before a game 7, which is scheduled for 5th July. The Milwaukee Bucks currently lead 2-1 and might be able to finish off the hawks before a game 7. In that scenario, the NBA Finals should begin on July 6th and conclude with more than enough time for Giannis Antetokounmpo to recover and play in the Tokyo Olympics.
However, if the Eastern Conference Finals require a game 7, Giannis might simply be short of time and be forced to join the squad late. The first thing to consider is whether the Greece qualifying squad can make it to Tokyo. If they do, Giannis Antetokounmpo can be expected to feature for at least a part of the tournament. For Giannis, this will be his first appearance at the Olympic games. He had previously played a part in the qualifiers for the 2016 Olympics but Greece had failed to qualify.
Also Check out: Complete USA Olympic Basketball Team Schedule