Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named in the Greece squad for their Olympic qualifying tournament, yet questions still surround his availability.
One way or another, the summer of 2016 is certain to be one of the most important and memorable in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s young life so far.
After three impressive seasons in the NBA, the Greek Freak finds himself on the verge of being eligible for a contract extension, and his first truly major pay day as a professional basketball player.
On top of that, there’s the not so small matter of the Olympic Games.
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Although Antetokounmpo’s Greek national squad have yet to book their place for the competition taking place in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro in August, they are widely believed to be in with a good chance of emerging from their pre-qualifying tournament in July.
Of course, that optimism is very much dependent on Greece’s star player leading the fight when they try to overcome tough opposition to advance.
Greece will play in one of three qualifying tournaments that each have a single spot in Rio open for the winners. With the Greeks set to play in the event in Turin, Italy, they’ll face notable competition from the likes of Croatia, Mexico and Italy.
When the Greece squad for the tournament was announced on Tuesday, many of the team’s fans would have breathed a sigh of relief at the appearance of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name on the list.
According to reports from respected European basketball outlet Sportando, that announcement should not lead anybody to jump to conclusions just yet though. As detailed by E. Carchia:
"Giannis Antetokounmpo was named in Greece National Team preliminary squad but he is unlikely to play for his country this summer.Antetokounmpo would love to play for Greece but he did not speak with the Bucks yet.The Bucks want him to work in the US this summer on his new role (point guard) and his new role in the team, as franchise player."
It comes across as a little surprising that the Bucks and Antetokounmpo have yet to discuss the possibility of him playing yet, as this has been a talking point, and something Giannis himself has spoken on since the team’s season finished.
In his exit interview, Giannis responded to a question about whether he’d play this summer by saying:
"Hopefully. I’ve got to have a discussion with the team and J-Kidd. Until then I’ve just got to see what they tell me, what they decide, and hopefully I’m in the team. The Olympic Games is something amazing. But yeah I just have to discuss it with the team and coach Kidd."
This was something he reiterated a little more forcibly in the middle of May while speaking to EuroHoops.net too:
"I want to play for the national team. The Bucks know it. We have not talked yet for this matter. Even if they are negative, I would try to convince them to let me play"
Of course, this is a delicate situation.
The Bucks will be understandably selfish, and prudent from a business point of view, in trying to persuade Giannis to sit out considering they’re likely about to invest a sizeable amount of money in him as the primary focus of their future.
On the other hand, Giannis is incredibly proud of his Greek heritage and identity, and for those representing Greece the Olympics take on even greater meaning considering how the history of the games is so intertwined with the nation itself.
It’s also possible that international play takes on far greater significance for players from Europe or the rest of the world than generally gets taken into consideration too.
The US is blessed with such a deep pool of talent that they’re almost always assured of the favorite status heading into major competitions. On top of that, with the NBA experience being infinitely more visible and more tangible for those Stateside, that element of the sport is a greater focus for most from an early age.
That same sentiment doesn’t necessarily apply to international players. For youngsters growing up on the other side of the world, playing under the bright lights of the NBA is such a pipe dream that the idea of getting to represent one’s country can often prevail as a more attainable fantasy.
Antetokounmpo has spoken about how much playing for Greece at last summer’s EuroBasket meant to him, and if anything there’s a strong case to be argued that the experience made him better as a player heading into this season.
Of course, there’s the risk of injury and the fears of fatigue, but the reality is that they can strike at any time. LeBron James rarely missed any international games with the US in the early part of his career, and it hasn’t done him any harm.
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If Giannis wants to exercise the privilege of representing his country and his people, it’s hard to say that the Bucks should have the final say to stop him from doing so. Saying that with so many variables in play, that could be the sad reality that both sides ultimately succumb to.