It’s always a heartwarming feeling to have the support of your loved ones at a time of need. This is what Thanasis Antetokounmpo is ensuring. Instead of enjoying his off-season time, the 32-year-old power forward has traveled all the way to Paris to support his brother, Giannis Antetokounmpo, as he looks to earn the first Olympic gold medal for Greece. With the European country having its first matchup against Spain, Thanasis is amongst the thousands of attendees at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium. How do we know? Because he is not shying away from making his presence known.

From the stands, Giannis’s elder brother is positively egging ‘The Greek Freak’ on by reportedly shouting and jumping. Thanasis cannot take a seat, with the adrenaline probably rushing around his body and keeping him on his tips and toes. Fortunately, the player was not alone in displaying this level of excitement. Sitting right alongside him was former NBA player and current Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Vin Baker. With one of his players on the court and the other putting out his full energy with the cheers, the 2021 champion would have certainly been enjoying the sights!

Unfortunately, the excitement of both individuals may have died down quickly, after Greece lost the matchup by a score of 84-77. On top of that, Giannis’s performance didn’t live up to the expectations, with the player faltering during the first half and missing a crucial three-pointer during the closing minutes. Having already lost their earlier matchup to Canada as well, it is imminent now for the men’s basketball roster of the Greece National Team to head home.

Things may have turned out differently for the European team had Thanasis been playing alongside them. After all, according to Giannis himself, his brothers are the “three toughest opponents” who he would find hard to guard. Furthermore, he has experience on the international stage, having represented Greece during the FIBA World Cup and the EuroBasket series. Therefore, given that the player was in the stands but on the court, an even more important question arises here.

Why is Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother not playing at the Paris Olympics?

While Giannis served as the flag bearer for Greece’s Olympic team, Thanasis and the third Antetokounmpo brother, Kostas, were sidelined. The decision was made after the duo’s injuries deemed them unfit to compete on the international stage.

Back in May 2024, as the NBA regular season progressed, Thanasis Antetokounmpo ended up tearing his Achilles Tendon, reportedly at a workout session. First revealed by Shams Charania, the news came almost a week after the player made his last on-court appearance. While he had initially been listed for a left hamstring soreness on the injury report, the sudden shift to an Achilles Tendon would have surprised many.

Thanasis had to undergo surgery to treat the ailment. As a result, not only was he excused from the rest of the remaining games for the Milwaukee Bucks, but he was also excluded from the national team.

Furthermore, Kostas was also ruled out after he developed a knee injury. These two unfortunate incidents prevented the Olympic roster from having the three brothers together during the Paris Olympics. One unanswered question that will join the history books will be whether a partnership between the Antetokounmpo brothers could have made Greece avoid its current precarious position.