Bucks’ Thanasis Antetokounmpo Reveals Surprising X-Factor That Convinced Milwaukee to Re-Sign Him

Feb 3, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA: Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo (43) warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Milwaukee Bucks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks surprised the world this weekend when they announced they were signing combo forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a reported one-year, $2.9 million veteran's minimum contract.

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To hear Thanasis — older brother of nine-time All-NBA power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo — tell it, his defensive play for his native Greece during the warm-up to this year's EuroBasket competition and its first few group play games.

Per Michalis Gioulenoglou of Eurohoops, the elder Antetokounmpo explained how his impressive play enticed Milwaukee's front office.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo sealed the new deal with the Bucks after the game vs Italy: "They were excited"

It turns out the courtside presence of the top Milwaukee top brass also had a very specific purpose #Eurobasket https://t.co/JekBqzADtr

— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) September 1, 2025

A solid, athletic defender, Antetokounmpo never developed enough of an offensive game to convince head coaches Mike Budenholzer, Adrian Griffin or Doc Rivers to gives him significant minutes in contending Bucks lineups. He tore his Achilles tendon in May 2024, and only made his return to competitive play this summer during some pre-EuroBasket exhibition contests.

“They were here after the first game against Italy, and they were excited because I was playing defense. I was doing my job, that’s my role," Antetokounmpo said. "The important thing is that everyone who returns (after such an injury) with a team, or in a tournament like this, has to prove themselves again. That’s basketball. Whatever you have done so far counts; it’s your resume, but you have to prove it every day. That’s professional sports.”.

The 33-year-old was never a rotation player for Milwaukee, playing spot minutes across his five seasons with the club from 2019-24. In 198 regular season bouts (11 starts), Antetokounmpo averaged 2.4 points on 50.9 percent shooting from the floor and 52.9 percent shooting from the foul line, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.6 assists a night.

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“I want to thank all the people who worked with me and my family. The biggest struggle was to come back physically to this level," Antetokounmpo added. "This is the first thing, and then the rest will come. It was very important for me to get this opportunity, and I really thank God for being here.”

Thanks mostly to his two-time MVP little brother, Antetokounmpo's Greek national team has already advanced out of the group play stage, and will make the Round of 16 in EuroBasket 2025.

“What I am thinking right now is the next game against Bosnia, but having a team is a gift from god to me for the effort I have made all this time to return," Antetokounmpo said. "It’s not easy, but I am still eager to work.”

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