Giannis Antetokounmpo exploded on the on Friday, insisting that hes healthy enough to play but the team keeps him on the bench.
Antetokounmpo was benched for the 10th straight game as the team took on the Boston Celtics. The team has said that the NBA star has been dealing with a left . He hasnt played since March 15, but has warmed up with the team without exhibiting any obvious signs of injury.
“Ive never seen a case of a player saying, my caliber of player, thats like â Im saying it publicly â I want to f—ing play. You know what Im saying?” he said, via The Athletic. “I dont think Ive seen this. So, if there needs to be an investigation, great. There should be. I dont know. There should be. Until we figure something out.”
He insisted he was “available to play.”
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers addressed Antetokounmpos comments after the teams 133-101 loss to the Celtics.
“The tough part about all this is that Im in the middle and I have nothing to do with it,” Rivers said. “Coaches dont decide any of this. The problem with our league is the coaches are the ones sitting out front. And we have to sit here and answer this stuff. I think there are two sides to this, I will tell you that, but I dont want to get too involved in it.”
Rivers added that he didnt like that the feud had gone “public.”
“This is where grown men get in a room and they talk it out. Whether they agree or disagree, that doesnt matter. But this should not be public, and I dont like that.”
The Bucks were still in contention on March 15 when they played the . But a string of losses had them mathematically eliminated from the postseason.
Multiple reports indicated that the NBA launched an investigation into the Bucks handling over Antetokounmpos status. The Bucks told the league they do not believe hes ready to play, ESPN reported Friday.
The situation also drew the attention of the National Basketball Players Association last month.
“The was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union said in a statement. “Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”
Antetokounmpo has been one of the most dominant players in the league in recent years and was the main reason why the Bucks were able to win a championship in 2021.
“The Greek Freaks” name has also been mentioned in trade rumors over the last year. The team has ultimately kept him and he will be eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million contract extension in October.
He could become a free agent after the 2026-27 season if the team chooses not to re-sign him, or the Bucks could end up trading him after all.
Antetokounmpo made clear he was unsure where his relationship with the franchise goes from here.
“Weve got to go to couples therapy.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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