Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has spent his entire 12-year NBA career as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. However, Antetokounmpo has begun to think about how he wants to conclude his basketball journey.
Antetokounmpo wants to finish his playing days in his home country of Greece.
“I’m 30 years old, I can play in the NBA until I’m 36-38. I’d like to end my career in a Greek team, why not?” Antetokounmpo said on ANT1’s The 2night Show. “I don’t want to live in the United States. As soon as I leave the NBA, I want to return to Greece. I could end my career here, whether this team is called Filathlitikos, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, or Aris, I’m talking about all the teams now.”
Antetokounmpo, who grew up in Athens, played for Filathlitikos from 2011-13 before he was selected by the Bucks with the No. 15 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Since making his way to the United States, Antetokounmpo has recorded a length list of accolades, including becoming a two-time NBA MVP, a nine-time NBA All-Star and helping Milwaukee win an NBA title in 2021.
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During his time with the Bucks, Antetokounmpo has put together averages of 23.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, while shooting 55.1% from the field. In 2024-25, the Bucks star averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists, while connecting on 60.1 of his shots.
The Bucks made the NBA playoffs in 2024-25 but were eliminated in the opening round in five games by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers.
Antetokounmpo was the subject of trade rumors involving the New York Knicks during the offseason, but those talks never gained any serious momentum. However, just last week, Antetokounmpo revealed he’s “locked into” the Bucks for the 2025-26 season, but is reserving the right to change his mind in six-to-seven months depending on the direction of the Bucks franchise.
