By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Giannis Antetokounmpo making it to the 2023 FIBA World Cup is a quiz soon to be solved, specifically upon further testing on his knee.
Antetokounmpo, 28, traveled to the USA for the deciding medical tests, determining whether he can play for Greece in the World Cup, as reported by our own Vaggelis Ioannou via Greek state-owned public radio ERT Thursday.
Listed on initial call-ups, the superstar of the Milwaukee Bucks spent a large chunk of the offseason in Greece but did not join the training camp as the team coached by Dimitris Itoudis launched preparations for the approaching official games in Asia. He instead practiced individually and additionally focused on recovering to stay in shape and boost chances to represent Greece in FIBA’s flagship international tournament.
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The Bucks medical staff in coordination with their counterparts on Greece’s senior national team are expected to make a final decision regarding Giannis possibly playing in the World Cup over the next couple of days.
Possibly cleared, the 2021 NBA champion and Finals MVP would join Greece’s training camp ahead of the two exhibition games in Abu Dhabi, against the USA and Germany on 18 and 19 August, to wrap up the schedule of friendly games.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Lefteris Bochoridis, Manolis Hatzidakis, Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, Giannoulis Larentzakis, Michalis Lountzis, Konstantinos Mitoglou, Dimitris Moraitis, Giorgos Papagiannis, Kostas Papanikolaou, Ioannis Papapetrou, Nikos Rogkavopoulos, Vassilis Toliopoulos, Giorgos Tsalmpouris, and Thomas Walkup are the players currently available for Greece. Twelve will make the final cut to play in the World Cup.