# Thanasis Antetokounmpo
**Thanasis Antetokounmpo** Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Θανάσης Αντετοκούνμπος; born 1992) is a Greek professional basketball forward and the older brother of [Giannis Antetokounmpo](https://www.edgepedia.org/giannis-antetokounmpo). He played for [Milwaukee](https://www.edgepedia.org/milwaukee) from 2019 to 2024, won the 2021 NBA championship with the Bucks, returned for the 2025–26 season, and signed with Aris BC in September 2026.[1](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203648/traditional) • [2](https://www.nba.com/news/thanasis-antetokounmpo-re-signs-with-bucks-2025) Listed at 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m) and 219 pounds (99 kg), he wears number 43 for Milwaukee.[1](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203648/traditional)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1992, Athens, Greece[1](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203648/traditional) |
| Position, size | Forward, 6'7" (2.01 m), 219 lb (99 kg), Bucks number 43[1](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203648/traditional) • [3](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/bucks.pdf) |
| Draft | 2014 NBA Draft, 2nd round (21st pick, 51st overall), New York Knicks[4](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/antetth01.html) |
| NBA career averages | 2.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, 0.6 assists per game[2](https://www.nba.com/news/thanasis-antetokounmpo-re-signs-with-bucks-2025) |
| Clubs | Filathlitikos B.C., Delaware 87ers, New York Knicks, Westchester Knicks, Morabank Andorra, Panathinaikos B.C., Milwaukee Bucks[5](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/thanasis-garuba-theis-quien-volvera-a-europa-n/) • [6](https://www.iroes.gr/ambassadors/thanasis-antetokoynmpo/) |
| Team honors | 2021 NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks[2](https://www.nba.com/news/thanasis-antetokounmpo-re-signs-with-bucks-2025) |
| Recent move | Signed a two-year deal with Aris BC of Greece on September 1, 2026[7](https://www.nba.com/bucks/player/203648/thanasis-antetokounmpo) |
## Early life and family
Thanasis Antetokounmpo was born in 1992 and grew up in Athens with his brothers, including Giannis, Kostas, and Alex, in a family of Nigerian parents who had settled in Greece.[8](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/profiles/480222/thanasis-antetokounmpo-dynamo-panathinaikos/) • [9](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/07/26/paris-2024-giannis-antetokounmpo-from-stateless-person-to-flag-bearer-for-greece_6700088_9.html) He and Giannis, who were born in Greece to parents without Greek citizenship, were eventually granted a "special exemption" and became Greek citizens on May 9, 2013, a little over a month before the [NBA draft](https://www.edgepedia.org/nba-draft) in which Giannis was selected 15th by the [Milwaukee Bucks](https://www.edgepedia.org/milwaukee-bucks).[9](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/07/26/paris-2024-giannis-antetokounmpo-from-stateless-person-to-flag-bearer-for-greece_6700088_9.html)
## Club career
**Greece and the D-League.** His first senior club was Filathlitikos B.C. (now EFAO Zografou B.C.), which he joined for the 2012-13 season in the Greek second division.[5](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/thanasis-garuba-theis-quien-volvera-a-europa-n/) The Delaware 87ers, the [Philadelphia 76ers](https://www.edgepedia.org/philadelphia-76ers)' D-League affiliate, selected him in the D-League draft, and he chose to spend the 2013-14 season in the American developmental league rather than in Greece, a decision credited at the time with improving his draft stock through high-quality coaching and NBA exposure.[5](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/thanasis-garuba-theis-quien-volvera-a-europa-n/) • [10](https://www.nba.com/knicks/news/draft-prospect-profile-thanasis-antetokounmpo)
**Knicks years.** The New York Knicks selected him in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft with the 51st overall pick.[4](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/antetth01.html) His NBA opportunity was brief: apart from a 10-day contract that gave him only a few minutes with the Knicks, he could not break free from the D-League, and he spent 2016-17 with the Knicks' G-League affiliate, the [Westchester Knicks](https://www.edgepedia.org/westchester-knicks).[8](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/profiles/480222/thanasis-antetokounmpo-dynamo-panathinaikos/) • [6](https://www.iroes.gr/ambassadors/thanasis-antetokoynmpo/)
**Return to Europe.** After a year in North America he returned to European basketball, signing with Morabank Andorra in 2016 and a year later with Panathinaikos B.C. of Athens, where he played until 2019.[5](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/thanasis-garuba-theis-quien-volvera-a-europa-n/) A 2017 interview described him as a Panathinaikos player bringing physicality and experience.[5](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/thanasis-garuba-theis-quien-volvera-a-europa-n/)
**Milwaukee Bucks.** In 2019 he returned to the American league alongside his brother Giannis, signing with the Bucks.[5](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/thanasis-garuba-theis-quien-volvera-a-europa-n/) He was a member of the Bucks team that won the 2021 NBA championship, the franchise's first title in half a century.[2](https://www.nba.com/news/thanasis-antetokounmpo-re-signs-with-bucks-2025) • [11](https://apnews.com/article/271cd2648c856c534c5e41dc2565b327) He missed the entire 2024-25 season while recovering from a torn [Achilles tendon](https://www.edgepedia.org/achilles-tendon), and the Bucks re-signed him on a one-year, $2 million contract on August 30, 2025.[2](https://www.nba.com/news/thanasis-antetokounmpo-re-signs-with-bucks-2025) • [12](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/thanasis-antetokounmpo-still-signed-bucks-180558200.html) In the 2025-26 season he appeared in 34 games and averaged 4.4 points.[13](https://www.landofbasketball.com/player_comparison_by_year/giannis_antetokounmpo_vs_thanasis_antetokounmpo.htm) After Giannis was traded to the [Miami Heat](https://www.edgepedia.org/miami-heat) in June 2026, Thanasis signed a two-year deal with Aris BC of Greece on September 1, 2026.[7](https://www.nba.com/bucks/player/203648/thanasis-antetokounmpo) • [11](https://apnews.com/article/271cd2648c856c534c5e41dc2565b327)
## Playing role and public debate
His NBA statistics are modest: 2.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game for his career, with most appearances coming in short stints off the bench.[2](https://www.nba.com/news/thanasis-antetokounmpo-re-signs-with-bucks-2025) In G League play with the [Wisconsin Herd](https://www.edgepedia.org/wisconsin-herd) he recorded 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.[14](https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/203648/career/)
Because his roster spots in Milwaukee coincided with his brother's tenure, his role has been a recurring subject of fan debate.
## References
1. [Thanasis Antetokounmpo profile, NBA.com Stats](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/203648/traditional)
2. [Thanasis Antetokounmpo re-signs with Bucks on 1-year deal, NBA.com (AP)](https://www.nba.com/news/thanasis-antetokounmpo-re-signs-with-bucks-2025)
3. [Milwaukee Bucks game notes, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/gamenotes/bucks.pdf)
4. [Thanasis Antetokounmpo Stats, Basketball-Reference.com](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/antetth01.html)
5. [Thanasis, Garuba, Theis... ¿Quién volverá a Europa?, AS.com](https://as.com/baloncesto/nba/thanasis-garuba-theis-quien-volvera-a-europa-n/)
6. [Θανασης Αντετοκουνμπο, Iroes.gr](https://www.iroes.gr/ambassadors/thanasis-antetokoynmpo/)
7. [Thanasis Antetokounmpo player updates, NBA.com Bucks](https://www.nba.com/bucks/player/203648/thanasis-antetokounmpo)
8. [Thanasis Antetokounmpo: A dynamo for Panathinaikos, Eurohoops](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/profiles/480222/thanasis-antetokounmpo-dynamo-panathinaikos/)
9. [Paris 2024: Giannis Antetokounmpo, from stateless person to flag-bearer for Greece, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/07/26/paris-2024-giannis-antetokounmpo-from-stateless-person-to-flag-bearer-for-greece_6700088_9.html)
10. [Draft Prospect Profile: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, New York Knicks, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/knicks/news/draft-prospect-profile-thanasis-antetokounmpo)
11. [Bucks must figure out how to move forward after trading away franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/271cd2648c856c534c5e41dc2565b327)
12. [Is Thanasis Antetokounmpo still signed with Bucks after Giannis trade?, Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/thanasis-antetokounmpo-still-signed-bucks-180558200.html)
13. [Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Thanasis Antetokounmpo season comparison, Land of Basketball](https://www.landofbasketball.com/player_comparison_by_year/giannis_antetokounmpo_vs_thanasis_antetokounmpo.htm)
14. [NBA G League Stats: Thanasis Antetokounmpo](https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/203648/career/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › Current NBA players › Small forwards*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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