The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga has been one of the most fascinating stories to monitor over the last few years. As his future with the Milwaukee Bucks seemed in serious jeopardy, a legendary run through the 2021 NBA playoffs secured him his first NBA championship and extended his run with the Bucks. However, four years later, those same rumors are starting to swirl, with even more intensity than before.
Since that championship run, Milwaukee has failed to become a true postseason threat. Not reaching the Conference Finals even once since then has called Antetokounmpo’s future with the franchise into question. The Greek-born superstar has confirmed that he doesn’t plan on Cream City being his final destination as a basketball player.
Where Does Giannis Antetokounmpo Want to Finish His Career?
With Damian Lillard out for the season with an Achilles injury, he became a rare candidate waived by his NBA roster, who replaced him with Myles Turner to keep a solid roster around their superstar.
However, a core featuring Kyle Kuzma and Turner hardly seems like world beaters. As a result, conversations about potential trades, with the New York Knicks emerging as front-runners, have been prevalent in the weeks leading up to the start of the 2025-26 season.
While those conversations continue, the two-time MVP gave a surprising update about his future on his own. Speaking to Ant1’s The 2night Show, he had a surprising swansong in mind for his basketball career.
Breaking down the reality of the situation, he said, “I’m 30 years old, I can play in the NBA until I’m 36-38. I’d like to end my career in a Greek team, why not?” His announcement isn’t shocking after reports about his family returning to Greece permanently.
“I don’t want to live in the United States. As soon as I leave the NBA, I want to return to Greece. I could end my career here, whether this team is called Filathlitikos, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, or Aris, I’m talking about all the teams now,” he added.
A standout for his national squad, he led Greece to a Bronze finish this year at EuroBasket, where he averaged 27.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, while adding two stocks per night on an absurrd 68.5% shooting from the field.
That performance seems to have sparked increased interest in his homeland, and the announcement potentially hinted at what his short- and long-term future could look like.