Giannis Antetokounmpo ,a two-time NBA MVP, NBA champion, and global superstar, his presence on any team is transformative. For the Greek national basketball team, his participation in international competitions like FIBA EuroBasket and the Olympics is a source of immense pride and optimism. However, while Giannis brings unparalleled talent and attention to Greek basketball, there’s a growing argument that his dominance inadvertently holds back the team’s long-term development and delays a necessary rebuild. Remember back when the Greek team was , well, a team? Not just a support cast for a diva.
The Giannis Effect: A Double-Edged Sword
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s impact on the Greek national team is undeniable. In EuroBasket 2022, he averaged 29.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, showcasing his ability to dominate against elite competition. More recently, in a preparation game for EuroBasket 2025 against Latvia, Giannis delivered 25 points and 10 rebounds in just 15 minutes of play, reinforcing his ability to single-handedly shift the momentum of a game. His athleticism, versatility, and relentless work ethic make him a focal point for Greece, drawing defensive attention and creating opportunities for teammates.
However, this dominance comes with challenges. The Greek national team has become heavily reliant on Giannis to carry the offensive and defensive load, often at the expense of developing a cohesive team identity. His presence can mask underlying weaknesses in the roster, coaching strategy, and player development pipeline, delaying the inevitable need for a rebuild. Below, we explore the key ways in which Giannis’ role might hinder Greece’s long-term growth.
1. Over-Reliance on Giannis’ Superstar Play
The Greek national team’s game plan often revolves around Giannis as the primary scorer, playmaker, and defensive anchor. While this strategy maximizes his individual impact, it can stifle the development of other players. In games where Giannis plays limited minutes or sits out, as seen in some EuroBasket 2025 preparation games, the team struggles to maintain consistency. For example, Greece’s offense often becomes stagnant without Giannis’ ability to drive to the basket or create open looks for teammates. This reliance creates a “Giannis-or-bust” dynamic, where the team’s success hinges on his performance rather than a balanced collective effort.
This over-reliance also affects younger players who might otherwise step into larger roles. Talented players like Giannoulis Larentzakis, who scored 14 points in the Latvia game, or emerging prospects like Alexandros Samodurov, often find their roles reduced to complementary pieces around Giannis. Without opportunities to take on primary scoring or playmaking responsibilities, these players may not develop the confidence or experience needed to lead the team in the future, especially post-Giannis.
2. Tactical Challenges and Positional Shifts
Head coach Vassilis Spanoulis has introduced a tactical system designed to function with or without Giannis, acknowledging his sporadic availability due to NBA commitments and insurance issues. However, this flexibility comes at a cost. In EuroBasket 2025 preparations, Spanoulis has experimented with using Giannis as the primary center, a role he has publicly expressed reluctance to play due to the physical toll it takes. With key big man Georgios Papagiannis absent from the roster, Giannis is tasked with rim protection, rebounding, and screening—roles that expose him to greater injury risk and wear him down over the course of a tournament.
This positional shift highlights a deeper issue: Greece’s lack of depth in the frontcourt. Instead of investing in developing young bigs who could share the load, the team leans on Giannis to fill multiple roles. This approach not only risks his health—especially concerning given his history of calf strains, foot sprains, and patella tendinopathy—but also delays the development of a sustainable frontcourt rotation for the future.
3. Insurance Issues and Limited Availability
Giannis’ participation in international competitions is often complicated by logistical challenges, particularly insurance disputes between the Greek Basketball Federation and the Milwaukee Bucks. In the lead-up to EuroBasket 2025, Giannis missed several preparation games due to unpaid insurance, which protects him in case of injury while on national duty. While these issues were eventually resolved, his delayed integration into the team disrupted chemistry and limited the coaching staff’s ability to experiment with different lineups.
This sporadic availability forces Greece to build a system that can function without its best player, which is a double-edged sword. While it encourages versatility, it also means the team is rarely at full strength during critical preparation periods. Younger players or role players who could benefit from extended minutes alongside Giannis are instead forced to adapt to a system that prioritizes his eventual return, further delaying the development of a new core.
4. Delaying the Inevitable Rebuild
Greece’s national team has not won a EuroBasket medal since 2005, and their recent performances—fifth in 2017, eighth in 2015, and fifth in 2007—reflect a program that has struggled to compete with Europe’s elite. While Giannis’ presence elevates Greece’s ceiling, it also papers over cracks in the roster and infrastructure. The team’s reliance on veterans like Kostas Sloukas, who at 35 is aiming to end Greece’s 16-year medal drought, underscores a lack of young talent ready to take the reins.
A rebuild would require prioritizing the development of younger players, even at the expense of short-term success. However, with Giannis in his prime at age 30, there’s pressure to maximize his window by surrounding him with experienced veterans rather than unproven prospects. This approach risks creating a gap in the talent pipeline, as emerging players are not given the opportunity to gain meaningful international experience. For example, players like Tyler Dorsey or Konstantinos Mitoglou, who showed promise in preparation games, are often relegated to secondary roles when Giannis is on the court.
5. Cultural and Strategic Implications
The intense focus on Giannis as the team’s centrepiece can create a culture where other players feel overshadowed or hesitant to take initiative. The Greek national team’s identity has become synonymous with Giannis, which may discourage the development of a collective ethos that could sustain the program after his international career winds down.
Strategically, Greece’s coaching staff must balance leveraging Giannis’ unique skills with building a system that can outlast him. The current approach, which prioritizes short-term competitiveness, may yield strong performances in tournaments like EuroBasket 2025 but does little to address long-term needs. A true rebuild would involve taking risks, such as giving more minutes to younger players or experimenting with new tactical systems, even if it means sacrificing some wins in the present.
The Case for a Rebuild
To secure long-term success, Greece must begin transitioning away from its Giannis-centric model. This doesn’t mean sidelining the superstar but rather using his presence to elevate younger players and build a more balanced roster. Here are some steps Greece could take to initiate a rebuild:
- Develop Young Talent: Identify and nurture young prospects like Alexandros Samodurov or other emerging players in the Greek domestic leagues. Giving them significant roles in preparation games, even alongside Giannis, would accelerate their development.
- Diversify the Offense: Move away from a Giannis-or-bust offensive strategy by empowering players like Larentzakis or Dorsey to take on playmaking responsibilities. This would create a more versatile attack and reduce the pressure on Giannis.
- Strengthen the Frontcourt: Invest in developing big men who can share rim protection and rebounding duties, reducing the physical toll on Giannis and ensuring depth for the future.
- Build Team Chemistry: Use preparation games to experiment with lineups that don’t rely solely on Giannis, fostering chemistry among role players and preparing for scenarios where he’s unavailable.
- Long-Term Vision: Shift the focus from immediate medal contention to building a sustainable program that can compete post-Giannis. This might mean accepting short-term struggles in exchange for long-term gains.
Balancing the Present and Future
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s commitment to the Greek national team is a testament to his love for his country and basketball. However, his overwhelming presence can inadvertently delay the necessary rebuild that Greece needs to remain competitive in the post-Giannis era. By relying too heavily on his individual brilliance, the team risks stunting the growth of younger players, neglecting roster depth, and postponing strategic changes that could ensure long-term success.
All too often he hogs not just the ball in game situations but also the attention. All too often he fails to deliver when it counts. They can hardly justify not inviting him but when he comes he is like a sledgehammer in everything he does. The challenge for Greece is to strike a balance: leverage Giannis’ prime years to chase medals while simultaneously investing in the next generation. This requires bold decisions from the coaching staff and the Greek Basketball Federation, including a willingness to prioritise development over immediate results. For now, the Greek Freak remains the biggest obstacle to a sustainable future while never quite having proved that he can be truly be a part of a team that will deliver.
Many are tired of the scenario we are likely to see in the Euro 2025. Early success, impressive performances in the easy games and then when the going gets tough…same story. Giannis posts some big numbers but the rest of the team suddenly seems inadequate. That is not how basketball works. Unless you are working for the Giannis’ marketing team that is.
