Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo said Saturday during All-Star Weekend festivities that his right calf has recovered, but he must complete a series of workout milestones before returning to game action.
“I feel good. I feel 100 percent,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “When you come back from an injury and you go through the rehab, you gotta check the boxes.” The two-time MVP added that he still needs to play one-on-one, three-on-three and five-on-five sessions—difficult tasks during the league’s midseason break while many players are away.
Head coach Doc Rivers recently described Antetokounmpo as “close” to returning. The 29-year-old has been sidelined since Jan. 23, when he re-aggravated a right calf strain against the Denver Nuggets. He also missed eight games in December with a right soleus strain and has now sat out nine straight contests since the latest setback.
Although selected to his 10th consecutive All-Star Game, Antetokounmpo will not play in Sunday’s showcase. De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings was named as his replacement.
The extended absence makes Antetokounmpo ineligible for regular-season awards, halting a streak of nine straight All-NBA selections that included seven First Team nods. Milwaukee is expected to revisit long-term contract discussions with its franchise cornerstone during the offseason after no agreement was reached before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Source: Hoops Wire
