Giannis undergoes further testing on his knee, before the World Cup decision

The anticipation surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo’s inclusion in the 2023 FIBA World Cup is soon to be resolved, pending further evaluation of his knee condition.

The 28-year-old athlete journeyed to the United States for crucial medical examinations that will determine his eligibility to represent Greece in the upcoming World Cup. This update was relayed by our correspondent Vaggelis Ioannou through Greek state-owned public radio ERT on Thursday.

Initially summoned for national duty, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar spent a significant portion of his offseason in Greece. However, he abstained from joining the team’s training camp, helmed by coach Dimitris Itoudis, as they prepared for forthcoming official matches in Asia. Instead, Giannis focused on tailored individual practice sessions while striving to recuperate and maintain his fitness, with the goal of enhancing his chances of participation in FIBA’s prominent global tournament.

The definitive verdict on Giannis’ involvement in the World Cup is anticipated in the coming days, as the medical teams of the Milwaukee Bucks and Greece’s senior national team collaborate to reach a conclusion.

Should he receive medical clearance, the 2021 NBA champion and Finals MVP will seamlessly integrate into Greece’s training camp ahead of two exhibition games scheduled in Abu Dhabi. These contests, slated against the USA and Germany on August 18 and 19, will serve as the final trials before the official World Cup games commence.

The current roster of available players for Greece comprises Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Lefteris Bochoridis, Manolis Hatzidakis, Panagiotis Kalaitzakis, Giannoulis Larentzakis, Michalis Lountzis, Konstantinos Mitoglou, Dimitris Moraitis, Giorgos Papagiannis, Kostas Papanikolaou, Ioannis Papapetrou, Nikos Rogkavopoulos, Vassilis Toliopoulos, Giorgos Tsalmpouris, and Thomas Walkup. From this roster, twelve will be selected for the final lineup that will compete in the World Cup.