Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Unstoppable in International Play, Says Rival

Apr 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA: Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks on in the final seconds of the game against the Indiana Pacers during game four of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Nine-time All-NBA Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been thoroughly pulverizing the competition abroad this summer.

Antetokounmpo is currently in the midst of a Herculean effort to push his native Greece to the EuroBasket quarterfinals, in a round of 16 matchup against Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija's Israeli national team.

Ahead of the matchup, Israel guard Khadeen Carrington — a naturalized citizen — admitted that it would prove quite tricky to stop the two-time MVP, writes Michalis Gioulenglou of Eurohoops.

“You tell me,” Carrington said when asked about how Israel could possible defend Antetokounmpo.

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“Obviously Giannis is a great player. Players like that, it’s not really stopping them. It’s more about containing them and containing everyone else around, so we’ll see how it goes,” Carrington added.

Carrington revealed that he had scouted some of Greece's game tape in the build-up to the game.

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“I did get to watch some of Greece’s play. We actually played them too, in a prep game," Carrington said. "Giannis and a few other guys weren’t playing, but we kind of know their DNA. We know what they wanna do, we know their main main players, so that’s just what we gotta focus on.”

This man, unstoppable.#EuroBasket | #MakeYourMark https://t.co/SA2yfCp0QR pic.twitter.com/JwWeDBN9Ln

— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) September 7, 2025

As of this writing, Greece leads Israel by eight points heading into the contest's fourth quarter.

Whatever happens, it's clear that Antetokounmpo remains one of the most lethal offensive forces in the world. The 6-foot-11 superstar has been the subject of rampant trade speculation this summer.

A Tumultuous Summer for the Bucks

Milwaukee lost Antetokounmpo's top lieutenant, nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, when he tore his Achilles tendon during the Bucks' first-round playoff clash against the Indiana Pacers. Rather than keep him on the roster next season, a year he will likely miss in its entirety due to the severity of the injury and his advanced age (35), Bucks general manager Jon Horst opted to stretch and waive the final two seasons of Lillard's deal.

Horst used the extra cap space afforded by the Lillard decision to sign former Pacers center Myles Turner. He also signed free agent former Orlando Magic guards Cole Anthony and Gary Harris to help augment some of the backcourt scoring lost by Lillard's exit.

But the new additions are likely not enough to help Antetokounmpo get back to the promised land. Pundits appeared to expect the 2021 champ to at some point demand a trade out of town this summer. Now, that doesn't seem likely to happen.

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