MILWAUKEE — Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo expressed strong conviction that he is physically fit to play, but stated he is being withheld from games by the only team he has ever played for in his 13-year NBA career, a decision he described as “against my nature.”
A league-wide inquiry into this situation, initially reported by The Athletic, remains active.
“Given who you are dealing with,” Antetokounmpo remarked to local reporters an hour before Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics, “for someone to tell me not to play or compete, it feels like a personal affront. I’m unsure where our relationship stands after this.”
The NBA is reportedly investigating Antetokounmpo’s case, according to a source familiar with the matter speaking to The Athletic, and has been in discussions with the Bucks. The National Basketball Players Association previously released a statement asserting Antetokounmpo’s health and suggesting he was being sidelined as part of a potential “tanking” strategy by the Bucks.
“I’ve never witnessed a player of my standing publicly declare, ‘I want to f–-ing play,’ you know?” Antetokounmpo questioned on Friday. “I don’t believe this has happened before. So, if an investigation is necessary, then it should happen. I’m not sure, but it should be looked into until we find a resolution.”
Antetokounmpo has been out of action since hyperextending his left knee during the Bucks’ 134-123 victory over the Indiana Pacers on March 15. While the Bucks have cited a bone bruise as the reason for his absence in the last 10 games, Antetokounmpo stated Friday that he has been fully healthy for weeks.
“I am ready to play, yet I am not in the game,” Antetokounmpo affirmed. “I am available to play today, right now. I am available. Do I appear unavailable? … I don’t see myself among the first twelve. I don’t see myself in the starting lineup.”
“I don’t understand the strategy here, and I simply don’t want to be involved.”
As first disclosed by The Athletic, the Bucks proposed to Antetokounmpo that he sit out the rest of the season, an idea the franchise’s leading scorer outright rejected. Antetokounmpo claimed on Friday that the organization has not discussed his potential return since their initial conversation.
“I had an initial discussion with the appropriate individuals—coach Doc (Rivers) and (general manager) Jon (Horst)—and my stance was clear: I want to play. Following that, there has been no further dialogue,” Antetokounmpo revealed. “No one has approached me again regarding not playing or outlining any specific plan.”
Before his interview with local journalists on Friday, Antetokounmpo completed a full pregame workout on the Fiserv Forum court, a routine he has maintained before nearly every game since being placed on the injured list. Sweating profusely, the 31-year-old forward capped his session with a powerful windmill dunk, then conversed with coaches and teammates, including both of his brothers, from the courtside seats.
Giannis’s older brother, Thanasis, has been his teammate for six seasons, while his youngest brother, Alex, recently made his NBA debut and scored his first NBA points in the Bucks’ 123-99 win against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
“I’ve heard whispers that, ‘Oh, he claims he wants to play, but he doesn’t genuinely want to,’” Giannis Antetokounmpo remarked. “Firstly, I’m unsure of the source of such information… you’d be foolish to pass up an opportunity to play with your brother, who you are eight years older than.
“When I played my first NBA game, he was 11. After my father passed, I largely raised him. Now, he’s on the team, suiting up, and pursuing his dream to excel. And you truly believe I wouldn’t want to suit up and play alongside my brother? Anyone who thinks that is an idiot.”
The Bucks were eliminated from playoff contention after their loss to the San Antonio Spurs on March 28, which marked Antetokounmpo’s sixth consecutive game on the injured list, securing them a lottery pick. The Bucks’ draft selection is part of a swap arrangement with the Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans, where the Bucks will receive the second-highest pick among those three teams.
“Do I grasp the situation? Yes,” Antetokounmpo stated. “We won’t be making the playoffs… From some perspectives, my presence on the court isn’t worth it. But for me, it’s something that goes against my core beliefs.”
The 2025-26 season has proven challenging for both Antetokounmpo and the organization. As the Bucks experienced difficulties for the first time in several seasons, following their 2021 NBA championship campaign, tensions between Antetokounmpo and the team escalated. The Bucks even entertained trade proposals for their star player leading up to this year’s deadline, ultimately deciding to revisit the situation in the summer.
While Antetokounmpo acknowledged the growing friction with the organization, he emphasized that this current disagreement does not necessarily signify an impending split, employing a marriage analogy to explain his perspective.
“We need to go to couples therapy,” Antetokounmpo suggested. “Attend a consultation, couples therapy, sit down, you know, they present their side, I present mine, and we find a solution. Amicably. Right? That’s the word. Find a solution together.”
Achieving a mutual resolution would necessitate the organization assembling a roster that convinces Antetokounmpo they can still compete for a championship in Milwaukee next season. Antetokounmpo becomes eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million extension on October 1.
However, as Antetokounmpo repeatedly stressed during Friday’s discussion, he and the organization are “definitely, definitely not on the same page” at this moment.
“What are you implying? That I won’t play basketball again until October? Why? I refuse to do that. I won’t,” Antetokounmpo declared. “I want to play basketball. I was born to play basketball.
“I’ve been here for 13 years, and I understand that when a team is eliminated from the playoffs, it’s wise to be cautious. Taking care of your body, being in and out to prevent injury, preparing for the next season, allowing young players minutes—I get all that. But that is not when this decision was made. That’s what troubles me. It feels like waving the white flag, and I don’t do that. I’m sorry. I don’t. And I never, never will.”