Milwaukee, Wisconsin — Greek basketball superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo expressed deep concern over a recurring right calf injury that forced him from Friday night's game, predicting a recovery timeline of four to six weeks that could sideline him until late February or early March.
The two-time NBA MVP and Greek-Nigerian icon re-injured the same calf muscle that sidelined him for eight games earlier this season during Milwaukee's narrow 102-100 home defeat to the Denver Nuggets on January 23, 2026. Antetokounmpo had his calf heavily wrapped by halftime, appeared visibly limited, and exited with just 34 seconds remaining.
"At the end, I could not move no more, so I had to stop playing," Antetokounmpo told reporters postgame. He is scheduled for an MRI on Saturday and anticipates a diagnosis similar to his December strain — possibly a pop in the calf or soleus — leading to the extended protocol.
"After the MRI, they will tell me probably I popped something… probably give me a protocol of four to six weeks I’ll be out," he said. "After that, I’m going to work my butt off to come back."
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers echoed the pessimism: "I don’t think it looks great, honestly. This calf keeps coming up and it’s concerning… That’s troublesome for all of us."
Despite the discomfort, the "Greek Freak" battled through for 22 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists before the final aggravation. He admitted he would have exited earlier if Milwaukee's record were stronger, but refused to quit on his teammates.
"I don’t like to quit," Antetokounmpo added. "I felt like I couldn’t explode… I was kind of jogging on my heel the majority of the game… At the end, when it popped, I had to get out. I couldn’t walk."
The setback comes at a critical time for the Bucks (18-26), who sit 11th in the Eastern Conference and have lost five of their last six. Milwaukee is just 3-11 without Antetokounmpo this season, putting their hopes of a 10th consecutive playoff appearance in serious jeopardy.
The injury occurred in a game that also saw Denver's Aaron Gordon exit early with a right hamstring strain — a recurrence of a prior issue. The Nuggets are already without Nikola Jokic (left knee bone bruise) and other key players.
Antetokounmpo, a perennial All-Star and one of Greece's most prominent global ambassadors, returned from his previous calf issue on December 27 under minutes restrictions. Fans and analysts will await the MRI results, which could impact not only the Bucks' season but also Giannis' historic streak and MVP-caliber play.
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