Giannis Antetokounmpo to miss Greece World Cup qualifiers

Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss Greece’s upcoming FIBA World Cup qualifying matches against Ukraine and Spain. The decision follows a collaborative agreement between the Greek Basketball Federation, the national team coaching staff, and the Miami Heat to prioritize the player’s physical health and integration into his new professional environment.

Antetokounmpo, who has not played an official game since mid-March, is focusing on rebuilding fitness and acclimating to the Miami Heat ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season. National teams manager Dimos Dikoudis noted that while both the federation and the player wanted him to participate, rushing him into high-intensity international competition posed an unnecessary risk of injury.

Greece will proceed with its qualifying window preparations starting August 14, including warm-up games against Poland and Cyprus, before facing Ukraine in Riga.