Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke to reporters in Milwaukee for the first time since injuring his left soleus in April during the Bucks’ game against the Boston Celtics. This injury sidelined him for three weeks and forced him to sit out the entire first-round series against the Indiana Pacers.
In a recent interview, Bucks coach Doc Rivers indicated that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were on the verge of returning after Milwaukee’s Game 5 victory. However, Antetokounmpo contradicted this claim, revealing that he had only been able to jog with his full body weight for the first time since April 9 on the day of Game 4 against Indiana. Despite pushing himself to return and help his team, he couldn’t meet the necessary health protocols and was unable to run at full speed, making it unsafe for him to play. Antetokounmpo emphasized the severity of his calf strain, mentioning that he initially needed a boot and couldn’t walk for a week after the injury. His recovery has been slower than expected due to these challenges, underscoring the difficulty of his rehabilitation process.
While the recovery process took longer than Antetokounmpo anticipated, he didn’t foresee initially that his injury would restrict him for such an extended period. He mentioned realizing the prolonged timeline around the start of Game 1, after he began physical activities like cardio and shooting practice without his boot. Initially optimistic about a quicker return, he soon felt the limitations during more rigorous drills, realizing that his usual quick healing wasn’t going to apply this time. This realization marked a challenging moment for him, as he acknowledged for the first time in his career that his relentless determination and rigorous work ethic couldn’t expedite his recovery as hoped.
“And as time passes, you come to realize that may not be the situation,” Antetokounmpo remarked. “Then you hear everyone—whether it’s doctors I speak with or others on the phone—emphasizing, ‘This isn’t something to take lightly. We cannot stress enough, don’t take risks. It can lead to other complications, and so on. If you feel pain, take a step back. Don’t push through.'”
“They make you even more fearful. So, visit your doctors, but listen cautiously and never search for injuries on Google. Ever. (Laughs.)
“But yeah, I realized this might require some time.”
There were few smiles and laughs during his 27-minute session, but that moment underscored that while Antetokounmpo couldn’t miraculously recover, his spirit remained unbroken. The joke lightened the heavy conversation, showing that the injury hadn’t defeated him mentally or emotionally.
“I’ve never worked — you can ask my staff — I don’t think I’ve ever worked this hard in my entire life to get back on the court,” Antetokounmpo said. “And I feel like I let my teammates down, even though I know injuries happen and sometimes you can’t control your health. But I worked extremely hard these three weeks, these 22 or 23 days, whatever it was, to get back, and unfortunately, I couldn’t. Does it hurt? Nothing is going to hurt me more than that.”
While discussing his injury and recovery process in detail during his final interview of the 2023-24 season, Antetokounmpo also allowed himself to think about the future.
Over the last two postseasons, he has played in just three of the Bucks’ 11 playoff games and completed only two of them. Although he remained healthy in 2022 as Milwaukee aimed to defend their NBA title, he suffered injuries in the 2020 and 2021 playoffs.
On Friday, Antetokounmpo admitted that missing playoff games for a second consecutive season might prompt him to reconsider how he approaches the regular season to ensure he can be on the court when it counts.
“It’s the first time in my career that’s ever happened to me,” he said. “I need to do a better job of taking care of my body, which I am doing. You’d be surprised at what I do for my body. And I need to be a little luckier, not unlucky.”
“I need to be cautious and possibly adjust my playing style to ensure I stay healthy and support my teammates on the court. The Bucks’ 2023-24 season was marked by injuries and changes, which are often beyond our control. While planning for future playoff runs, it’s crucial to manage these uncertainties. Coach Rivers discussed strategies for utilizing Antetokounmpo next season, focusing on specific roles on the court, offensive tactics, and areas for skill development during the offseason. Plans include potential trips to Greece and team gatherings to prepare for the upcoming season with clear direction and expectations.
“And with Doc having 25 years in the NBA, I’m sure he has the solutions for that. For me, it’s about constantly finding ways to simplify my game and support my teammates.”
“Antetokounmpo didn’t want his season to end on the bench again. This time, with an experienced NBA coach guiding him, he understands the path forward to set the Bucks up well for the beginning of next season.”
