Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is participating in the biggest basketball tournament of the summer, the EuroBasket competition between national teams. The intense tournament fueled by national pride can be an extra burden before a long NBA regular season, but Giannis is handling it perfectly to prime him rather than exhaust him for his upcoming Bucks campaign.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: Picking his spots wisely
Through five group stage games so far for Greece, Giannis has only played in three of them. Some fans may be concerned that he is missing games in EuroBasket for a reported knee issue, but it appears to be a case of load management.
Giannis will appear in the next game immediately after missing one and look just as dominant and athletic as usual. It’s more likely that he is choosing to skip out on some games to avoid overtaxing himself before the NBA season.
National pride is a huge deal for international players, and it’s clear Giannis has a ton of pride for the country that raised him. But ultimately, it’s not the Greek national team that’s paying him over $54 million per season, so it’s smart of him to avoid pushing excessively hard.
Bucks fans will be relieved by the injury implications of this approach. Giannis has missed some time, including in the playoffs, the last few seasons, so going all out at EuroBasket would only exacerbate the issue.
Even when he has played, Giannis hasn’t necessarily played his typical ultra-physical brand of basketball. In the most recent game against Spain, which Greece won 90-86, he had 25 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists. This performance included a lot of quick touch passes to open shooters and jump shots out of dribble combos or post fades.
Giannis hasn’t relied on driving into the teeth of the defense as much, which is smart considering EuroBakset’s increased physicality. The rules are different in FIBA and allow more contact, which unknown European players will gladly dish out on one of the NBA’s biggest stars.
Taking a more skillful and patient approach to EuroBasket will also prepare Giannis well for the all-around role that the Milwaukee Bucks will ask him to play this season. Games with more jumpers and playmaking may soon become routine for him in the NBA, too.
But above all else, preserving his body will be the most important thing. The Bucks will rely on Giannis for so much this season that any injury to him can tank the team in the standings. Taking a smarter approach to his current tournament as a way to tune up for the NBA season will ensure success for him and the Bucks.