Giannis Antetokounmpo will be out for Greece in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers
The Greek national team will face its upcoming commitments in the 2027 Basketball World Cup qualifiers without its biggest star, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Hellenic Basketball Federation officially confirmed that the star player will not be part of the squad for the matchups against Ukraine and Spain, news that directly impacts the Greek team’s aspirations.
Despite the efforts made by the federation and the national coach, Vassilis Spanoulis, to integrate Antetokounmpo into the team, his participation could not be finalized. The player, who has recently begun a new professional chapter after joining the Miami Heat, will remain on the sidelines for this FIBA window to focus on his commitments with the NBA franchise.
A complex challenge for the Greek team
Giannis’ absence represents a significant challenge for Greece, which currently occupies the fifth position in Group I with a 3-3 record. The standings are extremely competitive and the team needs to secure urgent wins to climb the rankings and secure their ticket to the World Cup event that will take place in Qatar.
The situation in the group table is as follows:
- Spain: 5-1
- Ukraine: 4-2
- Montenegro: 4-2
- Portugal: 3-3
- Greece: 3-3
- Georgia: 3-3
Antetokounmpo’s absence forces the coaching staff led by Vassilis Spanoulis to restructure their strategy and seek tactical alternatives to face two matches that are decisive for the team’s future on the road to the World Cup.
The Greek national team’s training camp is scheduled to begin this Friday, August 14th. Subsequently, the squad will prepare for its two major challenges: the match against Ukraine on August 28th in Riga, and the duel against Spain, which will take place on August 31st in the city of Athens.
