Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo grew emotional after guiding his home country, Greece, to a bronze medal finish with a victory over Lauri Markkanen and Finland in the EuroBasket third-place game on Sunday afternoon.
Antetokounmpo dominated EuroBasket, averaging 27.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 69 percent from the field, carrying Greece to a third-place finish.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s emotions pouring out for Greece
Jul 30, 2024; Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France; Greece small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reacts against Spain in a men’s basketball group stage match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
The Greek Freak reflected on the milestone after the win, per BasketNews. He acknowledged the highs and lows he has faced, overcoming obstacles to represent Greece on the international stage and achieve success.
“I’ve heard everything in my life. Through up and downs, good or bad. When you are one of the best basketball players. I don’t talk too much, I like my actions to talk, I don’t fake, I like basketball, I don’t like media, I don’t like being famous; I just like basketball,” remarked the Bucks superstar forward.
Aug 6, 2024; Paris, France; Greece small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) runs onto the court before the game against Germany during a mens basketball quarterfinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Antetokounmpo has every reason to be emotional about securing bronze with Greece in EuroBasket. After guiding his country to a quarterfinal run in the 2024 Olympics, delivering a medal on the European stage marked a major accomplishment for him.
Giannis Antetokounmpo couldn't hold back tears after winning his first medal with the Greek national team 🥹🇬🇷 #EuroBasket pic.twitter.com/xM8nEA00id
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) September 14, 2025
“Sometimes when you don’t play well, people talk s**t about you. But this for me, it’s almost like relief. Because I did it for my country. I did it for myself, I did it for my family, I finally f**** did it. I’m proud. This is one of the biggest accomplishments as an athlete. I know I won an NBA championship but there’s no feeling like representing your national team and 12 million people that live and breathe this basketball team. This is probably the greatest accomplishment I’ve accomplished so far in my life,” he continued.
Antetokounmpo with the Bucks
Apr 5, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) brings the ball up the court against the Miami Heat during overtime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
For now, Antetokounmpo plans to rest for the remainder of the month before joining the Bucks at training camp in October. Milwaukee reshaped its roster this offseason, moving on from Damian Lillard and bringing in Myles Turner, Cole Anthony, and others to strengthen its depth.
The Eastern Conference looks wide open, giving the Bucks a strong opportunity to push for a deep playoff run if they execute. For Antetokounmpo, it marks another chance to fight for an NBA title, a crown he last claimed in 2021.
The Bucks now turn their attention to the preseason, opening against the Miami Heat on Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Milwaukee will then tip off the regular season at home on Oct. 22, hosting the Washington Wizards at 8 p.m. ET.