The Milwaukee Bucks announced Thursday that Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t play in this year’s NBA All-Star Game due to the right calf strain that he suffered Jan. 23 and is still recovering from. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has picked San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox to replace Antetokounmpo in the midseason exhibition, the league then revealed.

While Antetokounmpo, a 10-time All-Star, was originally selected to play for Team World, Fox, now a two-time All-Star, will join one of the two United States teams for the three-team, USA vs. World round-robin tournament.

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Fox will be part of USA Stripes’ roster. A spot was freed up there once the NBA moved Miami Heat wing Norman Powell — who has ties to Jamaica — to Team World. Taking the place of Antetokounmpo, Powell will play alongside a bunch of the game’s top international stars.

As for Antetokounmpo, the two-time NBA MVP has been dealing with calf issues throughout a drama-filled 2025-26 campaign, which has seen the Bucks fall down the Eastern Conference standings and the “Greek Freak” stay put in Milwaukee despite more trade rumors.

Although Milwaukee has made the playoffs nine seasons in a row, it’s in danger of missing out on the postseason this time around. The Bucks are just 22-30 and are 12th in the East.

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Antetokounmpo first sustained a right calf strain on Dec. 3. That injury cost him eight games. But his latest setback came with a four-to-six week projected recovery.

When he’s been on the court, though, he’s delivered his usual entertainment. The 31-year-old is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game while shooting a career-high 64.5% from the field, including a personal-best 39.5% from 3.

Despite his adversity-worn season, Antetokounmpo was one of the top vote-getters for this year’s All-Star Game. He’ll still help coach the All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday.

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His replacement on Sunday, Fox, will share the stage with Spurs teammate Victor Wembanyama, albeit on a different team.

Fox’s USA Stripes squad, though, is notably led by Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson.

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2017 draft, Fox has averaged 19.4 points, 6.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game during his ninth season in the league, and his second in San Antonio.