Greece will need Giannis for FIBA OQT

Greece’s tough road to the Olympics in Tokyo means that the Ethinki will need Giannis Antetokounmpo for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament but time might not be on Greece‘s side.

Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV! 

Destined for Canada for next summer’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying in Victoria, Greece will need the presence of the Ethniki’s best player in order to make the push for Tokyo 2020.

However, a tight schedule between the end of the NBA season and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament could pose a challenge for Giannis Antetokounmpo to join his Greece teammates in Victoria.

Chasing an NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks, Antetokoumpo’s NBA season could go the distance if Antetokounmpo and his Bucks teammates realize their goals next summer. While a lot still needs to happen for that to conflict with Greece’s push for the Olympics, the tight schedule between the proposed end of the NBA season and the start of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament could leave Antetokoumpo will little time to recover from a gruelling NBA season.

The Bucks are one of the favourites to emerge out of the NBA’s Eastern Conference come playoff time, and after getting as far as the Eastern Conference Finals last season Antetokounmpo and the Bucks will be keen to erase the memories associated with their series defeat to the Toronto Raptors.

That said, the NBA Finals are expected to tip-off on 5 June and if a series involving the Bucks were to go the distance then perhaps Antetokounmpo could have as little as just one day to prepare for a campaign with the Ethniki.

Newly appointed head coach, Rick Pitino, has already indicated that he hopes Antetokounmpo will make himself available but that Greece will give their best with or without Antetokounmpo. Of course Giannis’ absence would likely mean that Thanasis would also miss out after the older Antetokounmpo brother left Panathinaikos to join Milwaukee in the offseason.

For what it’s worth, Antetokounmpo acknowledged in a pre-season press conference that he was disappointed with Greece’s campaign at the 2019 FIBA World Cup but that he was ready to give it his all again for the Ethniki.

With several NBA stars already committing to represent Canada at next summer’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Greece will certainly need their best player to be there if the Ethniki are to book a return to the Olympics for the first time since 2008.

by Peter Katsiris

Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and Twitter for all the latest news in Greek Sports!