Giannis Antetokounmpo uncertain for World Cup after knee surgery, sources confirm

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo recently underwent a cleanup procedure in his left knee, leaving his status uncertain for the FIBA World Cup next month, sources confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday.

After feeling lingering knee discomfort since the start of the offseason, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks decided surgery was necessary.

Antetokounmpo has taken pride in representing Greece during the offseason, playing for the national team both last summer at EuroBasket and again during the 2019 World Cup. The two-time NBA MVP has not yet been ruled out of this year’s World Cup, which begins Aug. 25 in the Philippines. The Bucks open training camp in September.

Antetokounmpo, 28, dealt with a few nagging injuries last season, including missing several stretches with left knee soreness. He sat three out of four games in November and missed five straight games from Jan. 12-21 with the same ailment.

Antetokounmpo still played 63 games for the Bucks during the regular season, right around his average for the past few seasons, but a back injury during the first quarter of Game 1 of the first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat kept him sidelined until Game 4.

Greek outlet Gazetta first reported the news of Antetokounmpo’s surgery.