Is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing in the 2024 Paris Olympics?

After a second straight disappointing NBA season where the Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs and Giannis Antetokounmpo was once again plagued by injuries, the Greek Freak was able to clear a separate career milestone: helping Greece qualify for the Olympics for the first time since 2008. He will lead the way for his squad and also carry the flag at the opening ceremony.

Greece's expectations are unclear at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While Antetokounmpo is one of the five best players participating in the tournament, he is the only NBA player on Greece's roster. A number of high-level overseas professionals are joining him though, and they all played pivotal roles in helping Greece roll through the Qualifying tournament in early July.

Nick Calathes, Thomas Walkup, Kostas Papanikolaou, and Georgios Papagiannis often started with Giannis with Dinos Mitoglou, Giannoulis Larentzaikis playing key roles off the bench. One of Giannis' brothers, Kostas -- who does not play for the Bucks, is expected to make the final roster as well.

Giannis Antetokounmpo stars for Greece at 2024 Paris Olympics

Greece will be leaning on their starting lineup heavily as their depth pales in comparison to other top teams at the Olympics. Last season's EuroLeague Final Four MVP Kostas Sloukas announced he will not be participating because he does not want to take a spot from a player who helped the team qualify after he missed the qualifying tournament due to injury. It seems unlikely that naturalized guard Tyler Dorsey will join the team as well.

New head coach Vassilis Spanoulis, who is a Greek basketball legend that starred for the last Greek team that made the 2008 Olympics and for the team that beat the United States in 2004, will have his hands full when it comes to building a bench that helps this squad compete.

Greece is drawn in the group of death, Group A, with Australia, Canada, and Spain. They will open play on Saturday, July 27, against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Canada.