By Allan Binoy
Copyright clutchpoints
Doc Rivers kept the Giannis Antetokounmpo update very simple after the Milwaukee Bucks star was diagnosed with COVID-19 and missed Media Day just before training camp.
“He’ll be flying in either tonight or in the morning,” the Bucks coach said Thursday, via Ben Steele of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as the team headed to Florida, confirming Antetokounmpo’s plans to rejoin the squad.
Antetokounmpo missed the Bucks’ media day and the start of training camp after the positive test, and the team arranged for him to remain overseas while he completed protocols. Rivers’ update suggests the two-time MVP cleared whatever testing or medical hurdles stood between him and the team’s move to South Florida.
The timetable matters because the Bucks head to Miami for preseason work and a game, and the club expects Giannis to arrive as Rivers outlined, potentially in time for Friday’s practice window, though the coach stopped short of guaranteeing game availability for Monday’s preseason matchup. The Bucks will follow their medical and team clearance process before deciding whether he’ll suit up.
This isn’t just a logistical update. Antetokounmpo remains the centerpiece of Milwaukee’s roster after a monster 2024-25 campaign, and his presence shifts both on- and off-court planning. The Bucks will welcome back their top scorer and defensive anchor, but the staff also must balance ramping him in safely with preparing the rotation. Expect limited minutes if he clears, with the organization prioritizing conditioning and contact ramp-up over a preseason stat line.
Reporters and beat writers flagged that Giannis’ return depends on written medical clearance and travel timing, not wishful thinking, and that the team will delay final availability declarations until staffers can evaluate him in person. Even when he arrives, the Bucks won’t rush the process, since recovering from COVID can take time for athletes, especially when it comes to conditioning.
Bottom line: the biggest headline Thursday was a simple one-line assurance from Rivers that Giannis is on his way back. That will calm fans and teammates who feared a longer absence, but it doesn’t change the protocol. The Bucks get their superstar back, probably, and then they get to the small, careful work of making sure he’s truly ready to play.
