The Milwaukee Bucks have re-signed free agent forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. Milwaukee has now reached the maximum 15 guaranteed contracts on their roster.
Thanasis, 31, is the older brother of two-time MVP teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo, 28. The Athens, Greece, native was selected 51st overall by the New York Knicks in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Antetokounmpo spent the 2013-14 season with the Delaware 87ers (now Blue Coats) of the NBA Development League (now known as G League).
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Free agent Thanasis Antetokounmpo has agreed on a deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/fG1v7bUvsA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 28, 2023
The forward then played for the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G-League affiliate, from 2014 to 2016. Antetokounmpo appeared in only two NBA games with New York in the 2015-16 season before returning to Europe.
He played for Spanish pro league Bàsquet Club Andorra S.A. (2016-17 ACB season) and Greek pro league Panathinaikos B.C. (2017-19) of the Greek Basket League and EuroLeague.
With Panathinaikos, Antetokounmpo became a two-time GBL champion (2018, 2019), two-time GBL Most Spectacular Player (2018-19), three-time GBL All-Star (2013, 2018, 2019), and two-time GBL All-Star Game MVP (2018, 2019).
Milwaukee Bucks re-sign free agent forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, reach the maximum 15 guaranteed contracts on their roster ahead of the 2023-24 season
Antetokounmpo made his return to the NBA in 2019. Since then, the forward has spent his last four seasons with the Bucks. He’s made 11 starts in 164 career NBA games. The Greek standout signed a two-year, $3.61 million contract with Milwaukee in August 2021.
The 6-foot-6 forward made $1,878,720 in the 2022-23 season. Of course, he made six starts in 48 appearances of the 2021-22 season, averaging career highs of 3.6 points and 9.9 minutes per game.
In Milwaukee’s 133-115 regular-season finale loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Apr. 10, 2022, the wing recorded a career-high 27 points, five boards, two assists, and one block in 41 minutes as a starter.
In 37 games off the bench this past season, Antetokounmpo averaged 1.4 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 5.6 minutes per game while shooting a career-low 43.5% from the floor and 50% at the foul line.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo told me when I interviewed him about 4 months ago in Milwaukee that he will continue in the NBA, even if he is not with the Bucks. He has already left for the USA to sign his new contract and we are waiting to see the team….#NBA pic.twitter.com/hdOwCYLV2z
— TOLIS KOTZIAS (@IONIKOS1972) July 27, 2023
During Milwaukee’s 140-99 loss to the Boston Celtics on Mar. 30, 2023, Antetokounmpo engaged in a physical altercation with Celtics forward Blake Griffin. Antetokounmpo was ejected from the game after headbutting Griffin.
Two days later, the NBA suspended Antetokounmpo for one game without pay (forfeit $12,957) and fined him an additional $2,000 for the ejection.
In the Bucks’ 121-105 regular-season finale loss against the Toronto Raptors on Apr. 9, he logged a season-high 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists in 28 minutes off the bench.
Antetokounmpo is scheduled to play for the Greek national team in the World Cup next month.
