Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return for the Milwaukee Bucks appears to be imminent.
The 31-year-old Bucks star is aiming to be back in the lineup when Milwaukee begins a five-game homestand on Monday, March 2 against the Boston Celtics, according to a new report. Antetokounmpo missed more than five weeks of action due to a calf injury and the Bucks have mostly floundered without him this season. They won five of six games before a recent two-game skid, but have an 11-18 record when the two-time NBA MVP isn’t available this season. They own a 15-15 mark when he does play.
Antetokounmpo’s latest calf ailment occurred at an awkward juncture in the season before the NBA trade deadline, with rumors swirling about his future in Milwaukee. Now, he’s planning to come back for a last-ditch postseason race in what could be his final games with the Bucks before offseason trade speculation starts anew. The team currently sits in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings, three games behind the 10th-place Charlotte Hornets for the final play-in tournament spot.
Here’s the latest on Antetokounmpo’s injury status moving forward, including his potential availability for the Bucks’ game against the Boston Celtics on March 2:
Is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing today?
It’s trending in that direction. Antetokounmpo was officially upgraded to questionable on the Bucks’ injury report ahead of their game against the Boston Celtics on Monday, March 2. ESPN also reported Antetokounmpo is expected to return after missing 15 consecutive games.
Antetokounmpo did not play when the Bucks lost 120-97 to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, March 1, though Bucks coach Doc Rivers told reporters before the game was ‘close’ to coming back after going through a full workout on Saturday.
Giannis injury update
Antetokounmpo suffered what appeared to be a non-contact injury late during the Bucks’ Jan. 23 game against the Denver Nuggets and couldn’t play the final seconds of a frantic comeback effort by Milwaukee. Bucks coach Doc Rivers said after the game he believed Antetokounmpo had been favoring his right leg before leaving the game in the fourth quarter.
Antetokounmpo was resigned to being out for an extended amount of action. He had already missed eight games earlier this season with a previous right calf strain and four games with an adductor injury.
‘After the MRI they will tell me probably I popped something in my calf, or in my soleus or something, and probably give me protocol of 4-to-6 weeks that I’ll be out,’ Antetokounmpo said on Jan. 23. ‘This is from my experience being around the NBA. ‘After that, I’m going to work my butt off to come back.’
Five weeks later, it seems he had the timeline pegged exactly right.
Giannis trade rumors
Antetokounmpo’s future with the Bucks has been speculated about since before the 2025-26 season began. Rumors and reports about Milwaukee’s potential options and willingness to part with their star surfaced as last month’s trade deadline got closer. But Antetokounmpo remained with the team past the trade deadline, as speculation persists about what the Bucks might do this offseason if Antetokounmpo turns down the contract extension he is eligible to receive from Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo stats
Antetokounmpo is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 30 games during the 2025-26 NBA season. He’s also shooting a career-best 64.5% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range.