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Giannis Antetokounmpo to get a final checkup to determine availability for FIBA World Cup

Giannis' availability for the FIBA World Cup will soon get more clarity.

Jonas Panerio

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The puzzle that is Giannis Antetokounmpo’s availability for the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila, Philippines, later this month will soon get more clarity. The two-time NBA MVP is set to fly to the United States to get a checkup, which will be used to determine whether or not he’ll be able to play for Greece in the prestigious tournament.

Final determination

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who was reporting on the show “NBA Today,” Giannis will be flying to the U.S. to have his knee checked up on. It can be recalled that the Greek Freak underwent a knee procedure after the Bucks’ season concluded to alleviate the knee issues that plagued him last season.

This checkup will be crucial, both for the Bucks and Greece’s men’s national basketball team, as this will either give him the green light to compete in the World Cup or sideline him for it.

"He's scheduled, in the near future, to travel back to the U.S. to get a checkup on the progress coming off of that procedure, and then a final determination about him playing in the World Cup," Windhorst said.

Patiently waiting

Greece coach Dimitris Itoudis announced at the start of his team’s training camp that he and the team would wait for Giannis and his Bucks team to reach a decision on the matter. Itoudis said he was “certain” that Giannis wanted to play for Greece, but acknowledged that the call had to be made by both parties involved in the process, something which could now happen very soon.

“I believe that tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, we will be better informed on his situation,” Itoudis said to Harris Stavrou of SPORT24.

Should he be cleared, Giannis could join the team in Abu Dhabi and even suit up in exhibition games against the loaded Team USA and Germany.

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Jonas Panerio
JONAS PANERIO