Giannis Antetokounmpo makes clear he wants to 'f---ing play' as feud erupts over injury status

Giannis Antetokounmpo exploded connected the Milwaukee Bucks connected Friday, insisting that he’s steadfast capable to play but the squad keeps him connected the bench.

Antetokounmpo was benched for the 10th consecutive crippled arsenic the squad took connected the Boston Celtics. The squad has said that the NBA prima has been dealing with a near genu hyperextension and a bony bruise. He hasn’t played since March 15, but has warmed up with the squad without exhibiting immoderate evident signs of injury.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during the 4th fourth astatine State Farm Arena connected Jan. 19, 2026 successful Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

"I’ve ne'er seen a lawsuit of a subordinate saying, my caliber of player, that’s similar — I’m saying it publically — I privation to f---ing play. You cognize what I’m saying?" helium said, via The Athletic. "I don’t deliberation I’ve seen this. So, if determination needs to beryllium an investigation, great. There should be. I don’t know. There should be. Until we fig thing out."

He insisted helium was "available to play."

Bucks caput manager Doc Rivers addressed Antetokounmpo’s comments aft the team’s 133-101 nonaccomplishment to the Celtics.

"The pugnacious portion astir each this is that I’m successful the mediate and I person thing to bash with it," Rivers said. "Coaches don’t determine immoderate of this. The occupation with our league is the coaches are the ones sitting retired front. And we person to beryllium present and reply this stuff. I deliberation determination are 2 sides to this, I volition archer you that, but I don’t privation to get excessively progressive successful it."

Rivers added that helium didn’t similar that the feud had gone "public."

"This is wherever grown men get successful a country and they speech it out. Whether they hold oregon disagree, that doesn’t matter. But this should not beryllium public, and I don’t similar that."

Injured Milwaukee Bucks guardant Giannis Antetokounmpo talks with an authoritative during the archetypal fractional of an NBA crippled against the Boston Celtics successful Milwaukee connected April 3, 2026. (Aaron Gash/AP)

The Bucks were inactive successful contention connected March 15 erstwhile they played the Indiana Pacers. But a drawstring of losses had them mathematically eliminated from the postseason.

Multiple reports indicated that the NBA launched an probe into the Bucks’ handling implicit Antetokounmpo’s status. The Bucks told the league they bash not judge he’s acceptable to play, ESPN reported Friday.

The concern besides drew the attraction of the National Basketball Players Association past month.

GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO BOOS HOME FANS AFTER BASKET AMID TRADE RUMORS: 'I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR'

"The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to clasp teams accountable and guarantee that erstwhile an All-Star similar Giannis Antetokounmpo is steadfast and acceptable to play, helium is connected the court," the national said successful a statement. "Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are lone arsenic effectual arsenic their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the crippled itself volition proceed to endure arsenic agelong arsenic ownership goes unchecked. We look guardant to collaborating with the NBA connected meaningful caller proposals that volition straight code and discourage tanking."

Antetokounmpo has been 1 of the astir ascendant players successful the league successful caller years and was the main crushed wherefore the Bucks were capable to triumph a title successful 2021.

Milwaukee Bucks guardant Giannis Antetokounmpo talks with Dallas Mavericks caput manager Jason Kidd earlier an NBA crippled successful Milwaukee connected March 31, 2026. (Jeffrey Phelps/AP)

"The Greek Freak’s" sanction has besides been mentioned successful commercialized rumors implicit the past year. The squad has yet kept him and helium volition beryllium eligible to motion a four-year, $275 cardinal declaration hold successful October.

He could go a escaped cause aft the 2026-27 play if the squad chooses not to re-sign him, oregon the Bucks could extremity up trading him aft all.

Antetokounmpo made wide helium was unsure wherever his narration with the franchise goes from here.

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"We’ve got to spell to couples therapy."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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