“Might Never Carry the Flag”: Giannis Antetokounmpo Gets Brutally Honest About Olympic Stint After Ending 16 Year Drought

With a win against Australia, after two losses at the Paris Olympics, Greece has left themselves a glimmer of hope to qualify for the knockouts. In a must-win game against Australia, Giannis Antetokounmpo drew all the attention and applause once again. Leading from the front, he inspired his teammates to survive a late fightback from the Boomers. Greece has now done everything possible to stay alive. And while he might be praying, Antetokounmpo was just grateful for his nation’s journey to the competition.

As one of the standout performers, the Greek Freak held his head high when talking to the media after the thrilling win. There’s no question he is hoping for Greece to qualify for the quarterfinals. However, even if it is not to be, Antetokounmpo is appreciative of the efforts and meticulous work it took from him and his teammates to achieve an Olympic berth after 16 years.

“I remember when I came the first day, I texted my wife & I told her I could not stop smiling. I don’t take it for granted. I would enjoy it to the fullest because you never know if you’re ever gonna have this opportunity. It took us 16 years to be here,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said when speaking about his experience.

It’s hard to control smiles when living the dream. Think about it, Antetokounmpo has clinched every possible accolade in the NBA. However, his identity remains linked to Greece. The journey with the national team has been invaluable for him. The 29-year-old remembered his late father, Charles Antetokounmpo, as the emotions overflowed. “I know that my father is watching from heaven, and he’s dancing about this. It’s something that might not happen again. I might win another [NBA] championship, I might win another MVP: who knows? But I might never carry the flag,” Antetokounmpo admitted.

For Antetokounmpo personally, it’s been a memorable trip. Originally an immigrant in Greece, he was chosen to be the country’s flag bearer at the Olympics. It made him the first Black flag bearer in the country’s history. And he didn’t just lead the Greek contingent at the Opening ceremony, he led from the front on the court as well, as he scored 81 points and pulled down 27 rebounds in the three group games.

Even if it were to end without a knockout qualification, Giannis Antetokounmpo has no regrets. But the chapter isn’t closed yet.

The qualification scenario for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece

After winning 77-71 against the Boomers, the Hellas have given themselves a chance to qualify. For it to happen though, two outcomes need to go their way, with the first being Canada finishing off Spain in the final game of the ‘Group of Death’. So far, the Maple holds a commanding lead, however, the Bull spirit of Spain isn’t letting the Canadians go without a fight.

If Canada does win, Antetokounmpo will need his MVP contender Nikola Jokic to pull through against South Sudan in tomorrow’s Group clash. Currently, South Sudan has a point differential of -6, after two games. If Serbia manages to beat the ambitious men of Royal Ivery by more than three points, Greece will qualify due to a greater point differential (-8).

Serbia has only lost to the USA so far. In the minutes the Joker is on the floor, the Serbians tend to stay even with their rivals. But it’s the time without him that will matter the most. South Sudan’s constant pressure and three-point shooting will be a challenging hurdle for Serbia to battle.

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