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Giannis Antetokounmpo exploded on the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, insisting he is healthy enough to play, but the team is keeping him on the bench.
Antetokounmpo was benched for the 10th game in a row when the team took on the Boston Celtics. The team has said the NBA star has been dealing with a left knee hyperextension and a bone bruise. He has not played since March 15, but has been warming up with the team without showing any obvious signs of injury.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on January 19, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
“I’ve never seen an instance of a player saying, my caliber of player, this is how – I say it publicly – I want to f—ing play. You know what I’m saying?” he said, via The Athletic. “I don’t think I’ve seen this. So if there’s going to be an investigation, that’s good. There should be. I don’t know. There should be. Until we figure something out.”
He insisted he was “available to play.”
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers addressed Antetokounmpo’s comments following the team’s 133-101 loss to the Celtics.
“The hard part about all of this is that I’m in the middle and I have nothing to do with it,” Rivers said. “The coaches don’t decide any of this. The problem with our league is the coaches are the ones sitting up front. And we have to sit here and answer this. I think there’s two sides to this, I’ll tell you that, but I don’t want to get too involved.”
Rivers added that he didn’t like that the feud had become “public.”
“This is where grown men come into a room and they talk about it. Whether they agree or disagree, it doesn’t matter. But this shouldn’t be public, and I don’t like that.”
Injured Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo talks to an official during the first half of an NBA game against the Boston Celtics in Milwaukee on April 3, 2026. (Aaron Gash/AP)
The Bucks were still in contention on March 15 when they played the Indiana Pacers. 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 of Antetokounmpo’s status. The Bucks told the league they don’t believe he’s ready to play, ESPN reported Friday.
The situation also drew the attention of the National Basketball Players Association last month.
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“The player participation policy 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 field,” 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 remains unchecked. We look forward to working 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.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo talks with Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd before an NBA game in Milwaukee on March 31, 2026. (Jeffrey Phelps/AP)
“The Greek Freak’s” name has also been mentioned in trade rumors over the past year. The team ultimately retained him, and he will be eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million contract extension in October.
He can become a free agent after the 2026-27 season if the team chooses not to re-sign him, or the Bucks could end up dealing him anyway.
Antetokounmpo made it clear he was unsure where his relationship with the franchise goes from here.
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“We need to go to couples therapy.”
