Longtime Milwaukee Bucks reserve forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, 32-year-old big brother to eight-time All-NBA superstar power forward Giannis, remains an unsigned free agent after tearing his Achilles during an offseason workout, following Milwaukee’s elimination from the first round of the 2024 playoffs.
But the 6-foot-7 wing hasn’t given up on his NBA career just yet. A six-year vet, the elder Antetokounmpo was on a veteran’s minimum deal for his 2023-24 season with the Bucks. Appearing in 34 contests for the 49-33 team, he averaged 0.9 points on 53.3 percent shooting from the floor and 0.5 rebounds in 4.6 minutes of mostly mop-up duty.
Per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Antetokounmpo is rehabilitating his injury this season, and hopes to return next year.
Following his surgery, “I got back to work right away,” Antetokounmpo told Owczarski. “Right away. I was like no, I’m here – let’s go.”
Despite not finding an NBA home in the offseason, Antetokounmpo insists that he will return to the league one way or another.
“Free agency was cool but I’m an amazing athlete so I’m coming back either way,” Antetokounmpo said. “If I come back September [of 2025] or I come back December, January or February it’s OK. I understand. I already know that. This is the fight for the Olympics, a chance to fight with my brothers. There’s two jerseys I love wearing the most and one of them is the national team. It was heartbreaking. It was heartbreaking for me.”
Antetokounmpo underwent a quick surgery, and then joined brothers Giannis and Kostas to watch the Greek national team qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics this past summer — their first such showing since 2008.
“I didn’t miss a beat when it came to my rehab. I’ve been working almost every day, six out of seven days,” Thanasis said. “That’s why I’m in this condition that I am now. Guys see me out there like hey man, you look great. I was like, thank you, I’ve been working my butt off, I’m not gonna lie. I’m just proud.”
Thanasis went on to unpack the experience of watching Giannis hoist the Greek flag during the Olympics’ opening ceremonies.
“Seeing my brother raise his flag in the middle of Paris, in the middle of the river in a boat and Greece being the first countries to come out, the feeling after the win after we qualified and them bringing the torch in the locker room, it’s big for us,” Antetkounmpo said. “It’s big. All this injured and not feeling good goes out of the window immediately.”
For his career, Thanasis has appeared in 198 career games with the New York Knicks and Bucks, starting in 11. He holds career averages of 2.4 points on 50.9 percent shooting from the field and 52.9 percent shooting from the charity stripe, 1.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists a night.
“There’s nothing you tell me that’s going to make me feel like ‘oh, you could be playing.’ Of course I could be playing. But my brother’s out there! And I’m happy. And I’m proud,” Thanasis said. “That feeling outweighs the feeling of feeling sorry for myself or feeling a type of way of ‘I could be out there.’
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