After a 16-year break, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Greek national basketball team had a difficult start to their Olympic journey as they lost to Canada 79-86 on Day 2 of the Men’s Basketball group stage. The Milwaukee Bucks star acknowledged his joy and hope at representing Greece on such a grand platform, even in the face of defeat.
With the description, “It’s one of the greatest feelings in the world to be able to put on the jersey and play for your country,” Antetokounmpo expressed his sentiments on Instagram following the game. He posted photographs of himself wearing his Greece jersey. His speech emphasized the importance of Greece’s Olympic comeback, a feat not accomplished since 2008. Greece advanced to the quarterfinals of that tournament after winning three of their five group stage matches. Ultimately, Greece lost to Argentina.
The Greek team had a difficult journey to Tokyo. After a fierce qualifying match against Luka Doncic’s Slovenia, where Antetokounmpo became the first Black athlete to carry the Greek flag in the “parade of nations” at the opening ceremony, they were officially qualified for the Olympics. He highlighted the significance of the event for both himself and the country by calling this duty his “greatest honor.”
After Greece’s 16-year wait ended in a setback, Giannis Antetokounmpo Breaks Silence on Olympic Debut: “Greatest Feeling in the World” 2The NBA talent on the North American squad, which included RJ Barrett and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, dominated the game against Canada from start to finish. With 44 points in all, they put pressure on the Greek defense. up spite of this, Antetokounmpo turned up a fantastic performance, finishing with 34 points, five rebounds, two assists, and a steal. The only other Greek player to score in double digits was Kostas Papanikolaou, who finished with 17 points.
Antetokounmpo helped Greece cut the deficit to just two points with just 64 seconds remaining. Nonetheless, Canada’s poise and depth allowed them to prevail. On July 29, Greece will play their next match against Spain in an attempt to recover.