By Mike Gkioulenoglou/ info@eurohoops.net
The senior national team of Greece will take on Ukraine and Spain without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The lineup faces a tough test ahead in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers, missing the multi-time NBA Most Valuable Player. While the official call-ups will be announced on Tuesday morning, it is already certain that the new Miami Heat star will not be featured on the list.
Antetokounmpo’s absence stems from a request by the Heat organization. The franchise wants him to travel to the United States early to integrate into their preseason training schedule ahead of the 2026–27 Regular Season. This comes after an injury-plagued 2025–26 campaign where he was limited to just 36 appearances and sidelined entirely since mid-March.
Greece will convene for its opening practice on August 14. These sessions will combine with two warm-up friendlies, both at Telekom Center Athens, taking on Poland on August 22 and Cyprus on August 24.
Following these exhibition games, the squad will travel to Riga to play Ukraine on August 28. Three days later, they return to Athens to host a formidable Spain squad on August 31.
Carrying a 3-3 record from the previous stage, Greece enters Group I of the European Qualifiers in the final round on the road to Qatar trailing the qualifying spots by one game.
Giannis’s absence from the remaining games in the Qualifiers is now a certainty due to his NBA commitments, meaning his next appearance will be at the World Cup next summer, provided that Greece clinches a berth in the final stage in Qatar.
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