After failing to advance past the first round in three consecutive seasons, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks entered the 2025-26 campaign with a sense of renewed urgency. Milwaukee showed early promise with a 5-2 start. However, that momentum was derailed midway through the year.
Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury that forced him to miss 15 consecutive games, a stretch that significantly impacted Milwaukee’s trajectory. The Bucks struggled in his absence and slid down the standings, and although he later returned after the All-Star break, the team never really got back on its feet.
The two-time MVP suffered a second setback, a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise, in mid‑March, which has kept him out of action since.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34)Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
(Benny Sieu-Imagn Images)
His injury also reportedly created internal tension. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, “disagreement has ensued between the sides on whether it is best for him to return,” as Antetokounmpo pushed to play while the organization preferred to rest him for the remainder of the season.
On Saturday, Milwaukee’s difficult season finally reached a breaking point. The Bucks suffered a 127-95 loss to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. It marked their 44th defeat of the season and officially eliminated them from playoff contention.
The result also confirms the Bucks will miss the postseason for the first time since the 2015-16 season, a significant step back for a franchise that had been a perennial contender in recent years.
Antetokounmpo, who has played a career-low 36 games this season, is now likely to finish his 13th NBA season on the sidelines, with nothing left to play for.
The disappointing outcome has also intensified speculation about his future in Milwaukee. Bucks co‑owner Wes Edens has explicitly stated that the franchise will not allow Antetokounmpo to play out the final guaranteed year of his contract without either extending him or trading him if he doesn’t re‑sign.
“Either Giannis signs an extension, or we will explore trades,” Edens told ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne.
It remains to be seen if this season will officially mark the final chapter of Antetokounmpo’s career with the team that drafted him 15th overall in 2013.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.