Why are Giannis’ Brothers Not Playing in the Olympics? Exploring Alex, Kostas & Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s Absence as Greece Faces Elimination

After dominating the NBA with a championship and 2x MVP, The Greek Freak Giannis Antetokounmpo finally became an Olympian. There wasn’t anything left for the Greek-Nigerian superstar to achieve in the NBA, but having qualified for his first-ever Olympics appearance, the 29-year-old would have dreamt of a good run with the national team. However, the Greek side seems to be out of the knockout qualification race after two back-to-back losses in the Paris Olympics basketball tournament. Notably, Giannis didn’t have his brother’s support in this disappointing journey.

Not many are aware of the fact that Giannis has four brothers. Apart from his Milwaukee Bucks teammate, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Giannis has three other brothers, out of which two play professional basketball. The eldest of them, Francis, however, took a different route, playing soccer.

Before setting foot in Paris, the Greek side had an intense qualifying tournament in Piraeus, Greece. They took out teams like Egypt, Slovenia, and Croatia. During that challenge, Giannis was accompanied by his younger brother Kostas Antetokounmpo. The 26-year-old is the second youngest in the family and currently plays in the EuroLeague. However, Kostas’ support for Giannis didn’t last long as he suffered a knee injury and the management ruled him out of the Olympics trip, as per the Euro Hoops.

The same report revealed that Thanasis also didn’t make it to the team because of injury. Notably, the Bucks forward didn’t have an impressive season in the NBA, averaging 0.9 points in his 34 appearances. Giannis’ third brother Alex Antetokounmpo, the 22-year-old who is the youngest of them all, is yet to make it big on the professional stage. There isn’t any clear update on his absence from the Greek roster. The probable reason he missed out on the Olympics could be his lack of experience.

Why did Giannis Antetokounmpo & Co. fail in the Olympics?

One of the main reasons for Greece’s failure in the Paris Olympics could be their presence in the ‘Group of Death’. They were unlucky that they had to compete in Group A, which is arguably one of the most lethal groups in the tournament. The teams include Spain, Canada, and Australia. The Greek side has already faced Spain & Canada and suffered embarrassing defeats. Importantly, Giannis didn’t seem to have any support from his teammates, as he remained a lone warrior on both occasions.

In the two games, the Bucks superstar averaged 30.5 points and 8 rebounds, while the team didn’t have too many other players scoring in double digits. Beating a team like Canada which has NBA players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jamal Murray on its roster was a far-fetched dream for the Greek side.

Next up, Greece faces Australia in their final game in the group stage. Giannis would want at least one win under his belt in the Olympics campaign and restore some pride. However, if Greece wins by a good enough margin, they might even give themselves a slight chance of qualification, although it would depend on several other results. Josh Giddey, on the other hand, would also look for a win and improve Australia’s chances for the knockout stage. It will be a cracker of an encounter.

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