Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo got hurt late in a disappointing loss to the Denver Nuggets on January 23, the Greek Freak effectively self-diagnosed his calf strain and predicted he would be sidelined for four to six weeks. An MRI later confirmed his assessment, with Doc Rivers praising him, saying, “he did a very good job.”
In the game against the Pelicans, the European superstar was still listed on the injury report.
Injury Report – Feb. 20 at New Orleans
Out:
Alex Antetokounmpo (G League – Two-Way)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Right Calf Strain)
Taurean Prince (Neck Surgery)
Myles Turner (Right Calf Strain)
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 19, 2026
On January 26, the Bucks head coach confirmed, “MRI has revealed exactly what we thought. There’s no timetable. Calf strain.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the court on Wednesday for individual drills with the Bucks in New Orleans as the team reconvened after the All-Star break. He did not take part in any full-team 5-on-5 work, so it was no surprise when he was ruled out for Friday’s game. It also seems unlikely he will be ready Sunday when Milwaukee opens a long homestand against the Toronto Raptors at Fiserv Forum.
Giannis Antetokounmpo nearing a return for the Bucks
Feb 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team World forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“I’m healthy today, I just got to check the boxes,” Giannis stressed during his interview with Malika Andrews. “I gotta play some 1-on-1, 3-on-3, 5-on-5, and the moment I do that, I (can return).”
The Bucks star forward reached the four-week mark since sustaining his injury on Feb. 20 and told reporters during All-Star media day that his calf strain feels fully recovered. Still, it remains uncertain when he will be cleared to return to game action.
He will likely face a minutes limit, as Doc Rivers had regularly kept the two-time MVP under 30 minutes even before the injury.
Feb 12, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) gestures after his team defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Ideally, Antetokounmpo will rejoin the lineup in the coming weeks, stay healthy, and guide the Bucks into a first-round playoff series as the No. 7 or No. 8 seed. If new additions like Cam Thomas and Ousmane Dieng continue to strengthen the roster, it will be easier to show the franchise’s star that he doesn’t need to look elsewhere to chase a second championship.
Following a statement victory over the Pelicans, nine of Milwaukee’s next 10 games will take place at home, and Antetokounmpo is expected to return during that stretch to help lead the team’s push toward the play-in tournament.