By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Kostas Antetokounmpo will no longer play for Greece in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Piraeus.
Antetokounmpo, 26, will be on the injury list for the remainder of the tournament, the Hellenic Basketball Federation announced on Friday.
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The Panathinaikos Aktor player at the club level was hurt against Egypt on Thursday. An MRI revealed a left patellar tendon injury with swelling, ruling him out for the Semifinals and a potential Final in the Peace and Friendship Stadium, SEF. The team coached by Vassilis Spanoulis will face Slovenia and Luka Doncic on Saturday. The winner of the Semifinal will clash with Croatia or the Dominican Republic for a ticket to the 2024 Olympic Games on Sunday.
Among the younger brothers of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kostas was crowned NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champion with Panathinaikos last May. Representing Greece at the senior level, his run includes playing in the 2021 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and 2022 EuroBasket.
After one year of college basketball at Dayton, he was selected with the 60th overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Over the next three years, he logged 22 appearances in the league between the Mavs and Lakers.
In the EuroLeague, he went from LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in 2021-22 and Fenerbahce Beko in 2022-23 to Panathinaikos last season. Overall, he has featured in 71 contests.