The NBA is now investigating the Milwaukee Bucks for their management of Giannis Antetokounmpo and their potentially conflicting statements about the star’s health and availability, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.
According to Charania’s sources, the Bucks told the league that Antetokounmpo still isn’t ready to return from a hyperextended knee, while Antetokounmpo told league investigations that he is ready and willing to play, but the team won’t allow him to return.
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“I’m available to play, but I’m not in the game,” Antetokounmpo told reporters on Friday. “I’m available to play today. Right now. I’m available.”
A few days after injuring his knee on March 15, a report emerged the the Bucks wanted to shut Antetokounmpo down for the rest of the season, but he was against this idea.
The NBA criticized this statement and suggested that it was a way for the Bucks to tank. Milwaukee was ultimately eliminated from playoff contention on March 28.
“For somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete, it’s like a slap in my face,” Antetokounmpo said Friday. “So I don’t know where the relationship goes from there.”
With just five games to go in the regular season, he has appeared in a career-low 36 games so far. Now, the NBA seems keen on figuring out why.
James Parker contributed to this story.
