Bucks’ Rivers: Giannis ‘approaching readiness,’ will participate when fit
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers emphasized on Friday that the organization does not intend to keep superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo out for the remainder of the season, stating that the two-time MVP is anticipated to return once he recovers from a strained right calf.
“He will play when he is healthy,” Rivers remarked prior to Friday’s matchup against the Pacers. “We just need to ensure he is fit. He is getting close. He is training. He appears to be in good shape. So I would say hopefully sooner rather than later.”
In Rivers’ initial remarks following the NBA’s trade deadline on Thursday, he noted the visible relief among the rest of the team’s players now that the trade deadline has concluded, particularly with Antetokounmpo staying in Milwaukee after a period of uncertainty.
“You can just see how everyone was lively in the gym today,” Rivers said with a chuckle.
The Bucks entered Friday having won consecutive games but still occupied 12th place in the Eastern Conference, trailing the 10th-place Charlotte Hornets by 2½ games for the final play-in position. Resting Antetokounmpo for the remainder of the season could potentially enhance the team’s lottery chances in the 2026 draft.
The Bucks have a record of 5-14 this season without Antetokounmpo and 15-15 when he is on the court. He has participated in only 30 games this season due to injuries but continues to post some of the best statistics of his career. He is averaging 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 65% shooting and has been selected as an All-Star for the 10th consecutive year.
Antetokounmpo anticipated after his calf injury on January 23 that he would be out for approximately four to six weeks. The Bucks have not provided a timeline for his return, and Rivers did not offer any further details on Friday.
Nonetheless, Antetokounmpo did complete a workout on the court Friday, engaging in shooting drills and post-up maneuvers with the team’s player development staff before concluding with exercises alongside a team trainer. This marks the third consecutive game this week that he has taken the court prior to a game.
Rivers has consistently asserted throughout the season that he has never doubted Antetokounmpo’s commitment to remaining in Milwaukee, but on Friday he likened the relief of passing the deadline to a burden being lifted from the team’s shoulders.
After the deadline, Antetokounmpo shared a clip from the 2013 film “Wolf of Wall Street” on social media, accompanied by a message: “Legends don’t chase. They attract.”
“I believe it was a relief,” Rivers stated. “I thought Giannis’ tweet served as a unifying message for all the players as well.”
