As Kostas Sloukas has already informed he’ll be out this summer, Greece NT coach Dimitris Itoudis will have to wait and see whether more players -including Giannis Antetokounmpo- will be eligible and ready to participate in the World Cup.
In sharp contrast to their 2022 EuroBasket bid, Greece NT are about to start training camp with many absentees.
The team coached by Dimitris Itoudis is participating in Group C, where they will face the USA, Jordan and New Zealand in Manila, Philippines. The top two teams qualify for the next stage of the competition.
First and foremost, Giannis Antetokounmpo is doubtful, after undergoing a clean-up of cartilage in his left knee two weeks ago. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar felt a discomfort, which means he’s not ready yet. As the Bucks haven’t set a specific timetable for his return and the team’s staff keeps following Giannis and monitoring his condition, the player’s willingness to be ready will probably not suffice.
The 28-year-old dealt with knee issues this past season, which limited him to just 63 games in the regular season. The injury bug also hit Giannis at the most crucial time, as a back injury he suffered in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Miami Heat sidelined him for the next two games.
“When it comes to our players’ health, we always work collaboratively with the player, his representative, and our performance staff to make the best decision possible,” Bucks GM John Horst told The Athletic. “In the case of national team play, we work with our partners in those federations also. No decision has been made on whether Giannis will be with the Greek national team this summer.”
But Giannis isn’t the only problem Itoudis has to deal with. Kostas Antetokounmpo, who is suffering from injury problems and his condition will be assessed, is also questionable.
Kostas Sloukas, after a demanding season with Olympiacos and having faced several injuries, has decided not to participate. His absence might create a domino effect, whereby Thomas Walkup’s presence would be deemed more important than Tyler Dorsey’s.
The point guard of Olympiacos is expected to fill in for his former teammate, Sloukas, but also for Nick Calathes, who might also take a break, according to Live Sport newspaper. The Greek-American guard is also waiting to see if he’s going to stay with Fenerbahce for another season or whether he’ll become a free agent.
Hence, Walkup is slated to cover the only naturalized player spot available, making his debut with Greece. If that should happen, Itoudis’ options in the backcourt are reduced to the bare minimum. From the 2022 squad, only Michalis Lountzis and Giannoulis Larentzakis will be available.
Per the same report, two more players are highly questionable: Peristeri forward Leonidas Kaselakis and Panathinaikos forward Ioannis Papapetrou, who has been dealing with a shoulder injury and was unable to finish the season with Partizan.
Overall, up to six players of Greece’s 2022 squad (Giannis, Sloukas, Papapetrou, Dorsey, Kostas Antetokounmpo, Calathes) might not make the 2023 roster.
Call-ups for the preliminary squad are expected to be announced by July 24, just nine days before Greece’s first prep friendly game against Slovenia in Ljubljana.
Source: Basket News
