Giannis Antetokounmpo joined a listing of NBA stars who will miss the FIBA World Cup, saying he isn’t able to compete for Greece after conferences with medical workers.

“Everyone knows my passion and love for my National Team has and never will change,” was posted on Antetokounmpo’s social media. “Since the conclusion of my NBA season I have been pushing my body to the limits to be the player I need to be to help our team achieve the goals we set. But after months of work and multiple meetings with medical staff it is clear that i am not ready to compete in the level that I need to be to participate in the World Cup. This was not a choice but my only option in ensuring I get back to the level of basketball I have worked so hard to achieve so far in my career. I am extremely disappointed in this outcome but this was a decision made with the medical staff. I’m going to continue to push myself to be ready for the next time my name is called. My personal, and our ultimate team goal is to qualify for the 2024 Olympics games and it will be an honor to represent my National Team next year.”

Antetokounmpo, 28, is a two-time NBA MVP for the Milwaukee Bucks. He performed for the Greek nationwide crew on the final two World Cups in 2014 and 2019 and the European Championship in 2015 and 2022.

The high two European nations at this World Cup, which begins Aug. 25, qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Those that don’t qualify on the World Cup can get one other likelihood at one among 4, winner-take-all, last-chance qualifying tournaments subsequent 12 months, probably in June.

In 2021, Greece, with out Antetokounmpo as he was taking part in within the NBA playoffs, misplaced a winner-goes-to-the-Olympics recreation in opposition to the Czech Republic. Greece’s males’s basketball crew final certified for the Olympics in 2008.

At the World Cup, co-hosted by the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan, Greece is grouped with the U.S., New Zealand and Japan.

The high two groups from that group advance to the second group section, the place the highest two groups per group advance to the quarterfinals.

Other worldwide stars who will miss the World Cup embody Spain’s Ricky Rubio (psychological well being break), Serbia’s Nikola Jokic and France’s Victor Wembanyama.

A young U.S. roster contains zero gamers with Olympic or World Cup expertise and nil gamers who’ve made an All-NBA crew.