Earlier this month, Giannis Antetokounmpo told ESPN’s Vanessa Richardson that the 2025-26 NBA season “is one of the toughest seasons I’ve had in my NBA career.” The Milwaukee Bucks All-Star forward added, “I’ve had injuries. We are not playing well as a team. Something feels off this season.”
That frustrating pattern continued on Sunday.
Milwaukee beat the league-worst Indiana Pacers 134-123, but Antetokounmpo, 31, suffered another potential setback. In the third quarter, the two-time NBA MVP drove to the hoop, spun in the lane, and dunked. It was the exclamation point on a 31-point, 14-round, and eight-assist outing. But Antetokounmpo landed awkwardly, leaving the game and leaving fans worrying again.
After the game, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers told reporters he guessed Antetokounmpo hyperextended his left knee, but Rivers didn’t have an official diagnosis, according to The Athletic‘s Eric Nehm. Antetokounmpo said he won’t get any imaging on his knee.
“I’m just going to go back home, sleep, see how I feel tomorrow, try to lift some weights,” Antetokounmpo said, as per Nehm. “And if I have a little bit of discomfort, then I’ll go from there. But as of right now, I’m not really bothered by it.”
This has been Antetokounmpo’s most injury-riddled season since the Bucks selected him 15th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. The 2021 NBA Finals MVP has only played in 35 games for the 28-39 Bucks. Antetokounmpo missed 15 games across late January and the entire month of February with a calf strain.
With the Bucks out of playoff contention, it might be wise to sit Antetokounmpo out for the last 15 games. But these games might also be Bucks fans’ last chance to see Antetokounmpo in a Milwaukee uniform. Antetokounmpo has not publicly demanded a trade, but no player has hotter trade rumors.
According to ESPN’s Jamal Collier in early February, “Antetokounmpo has informed the Bucks for months that he believes the time has come to part ways after 12-plus years together.”
When available, Antetokounmpo has averaged 27.5 points — his first time averaging fewer than 28 points per game since the 2018-19 season — 9.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists this season.
