Greek federation blames Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo's EuroBasket absence

Greece's basketball federation has accused the Milwaukee Bucks and the NBA of hatching a plan to prevent Giannis Antetokounmpo on Saturday from playing in the European championship.

Antetokounmpo will play no part at EuroBasket after posting an injury update on Facebook and Instagram ruling himself out, a knee problem cited as the reason for his absence. Shortly afterwards, the federation released a statement of their own, accusing the Milwaukee Bucks, Antetokounmpo's National Basketball Association team, of orchestrating "an organized and well-prepared plan" to hold him out of the competition, per Eric Nehm of ESPN. The federation said it was not surprised by the announcement by both the Bucks and Antetokounmpo of his decision to skip Eurobasket. The National Team is my favorite team, and in the future I will prove that along with my teammates we can take her up and make all the Greeks happy.

When EuroBasket does begin, stick with us at Behind the Buck Pass and check in with this column every morning for all of the details, analysis and highlights of Giannis' play. "What the Bucks claim is not the reality; something else is happening". On Facebook, Antetokounmpo said he failed to complete physicals because of excessive pain.

He was to have rejoined Greece after his China tour to prepare for the Eurobasket starting on August 31, but his knee problems, which forced him to miss all but one of Greece's warm-up games, alarmed the Bucks, who administered the physical in China.

Antetokounmpo expressed sadness that he can not compete for Greece in the Eurobasket, saying his failure to play is the "biggest disappointment that I have felt so far in my career". I have to work and improve as much as I can, the problem I'm facing on my knee.

Last summer I had the option to "freeze" the deal for my contract extension. I urge the fans to not give bigger proportions to my absense and to concentrate on the players who will fight in the upcoming Eurobasket for a success that has been missing for years.