Former Bucks Champ Hints at Milwaukee Return

Oct 5, 2021; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard De'Anthony Melton (0) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (left) and forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo (43) and guard Pat Connaughton (24) during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

A former Milwaukee Bucks champion channeled Michael Jordan's iconic two-word fax announcing his first un-retirement in 1995, alluding to a potential NBA return of his own.

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To be clear, a comeback for this Bucks player wouldn't quite have 1995 Jordan levels of impact. 2025 levels, maybe.

Longtime former Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo took to his official X account with a photo of himself wearing his 2021 championship ring alongside little brother Giannis and copying Jordan's message, writing simply, "I'm back."

I’m back. pic.twitter.com/2L4VrngACi

— T. Antetokounmpo (@Thanasis_ante43) August 31, 2025

The Bucks themselves, who were tagged in the post, responded emphatically.

LET'S GO‼️

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 31, 2025

"LET'S GO!!" wrote Milwaukee's social team.

As of this writing, no official statement has been announced regarding a potential Thanasis Antetokounmpo return to the franchise. He was away from the NBA for the entire 2024-25 season while rehabilitating an injury, but could be seen in attendance at Bucks games.

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Thanasis, 33, tore his Achilles tendon in May 2024. Achilles ruptures number among the most devastating ailments possible for NBA players, often sapping them of athleticism. For an older player like Antetokounmpo — even with years of medical advancements since the days when this was a career-ending injury — it's possible he is never the same.

Antetokounmpo was never a major impact player at the NBA level. During his most prolific scoring season with the Bucks, 2021-22, he averaged just 3.6 points on 54.7 percent shooting from the field and 63 percent free throw shooting from the foul line, 2.1 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 48 minutes (six starts). He was a mop-up player during the Bucks' title run in 2021, averaging just 3.4 minutes of action in his 13 healthy games.

Thanasis Has Already Made On-Court Return This Summer

Earlier this month, Thanasis Antetokounmpo made his first return to the court for the first time in 461 days when he suited up for his native Greece in some EuroBasket warm-up games. He and Giannis are now in the midst of the group play round. Giannis, understandably, is having the bigger impact so far, averaging 29 points in just 54 minutes of action.

UPDATE:

Antetokounmpo is indeed rejoining his brother in Milwaukee, where he had previously played from 2019-24.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Antetokounmpo has agreed to a single-season, fully guaranteed veterans' minimum contract with the Bucks.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo is signing a guaranteed one-year, $2.9 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. Antetokounmpo played for Bucks from 2019-24. This also means after a summer of exploring options, Giannis is staying in Milwaukee to start the season.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 31, 2025

Charania observes that this Thanasis re-signing has the added benefit of guaranteeing Giannis starts the year off with the Bucks, following an offseason of uncertainty.

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