Antetokounmpo looks ready to return after a calf strain.
Giannis Antetokounmpo made it clear on Saturday that he is ready to get back on the court.
Speaking to reporters at All-Star Media Day, the Milwaukee Bucks star gave an update on his right calf strain that has kept him sidelined since January 23, and his words should give Bucks fans some hope heading into the second half of the season.
"I feel good. I feel 100 percent, to be honest with you," Antetokounmpo said. "When you come back from an injury and you go through the rehab, you gotta check the boxes, right? So I gotta do things. So once I check all those boxes, I'm ready to go. I feel like I can play a game today."
The Injury That Won't Go Away
This has been a tough year for Antetokounmpo when it comes to staying healthy.
He started the season strong and helped the Bucks get out to a 5-2 start, but a groin strain in November led to a seven-game losing streak that knocked Milwaukee out of the playoff picture early on.
He came back and played three games before going down again with the right calf strain in a game against the Detroit Pistons on January 23, and he has not played since.
In the 30 games he has played this season, the two-time MVP has still been one of the best players in basketball, putting up 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game.
He was named to his 10th straight All-Star team last month, though he will not suit up for Sunday's game due to the injury, with De'Aaron Fox stepping in as his replacement.
The tricky part about the timing of the break is that it actually slows down his return.
Antetokounmpo explained that he needs to go through 1-on-1, 3-on-3, and 5-on-5 sessions before he is cleared to play, but with his teammates on vacation during the All-Star break, there is nobody around to run those sessions with him right now.
Can the Bucks Salvage This Season?
The bigger question around Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee is whether his return even matters at this point.
The Bucks sit at 23-30 on the season and are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference, which puts them three games behind the 10th seed and the final play-in spot.
Head coach Doc Rivers recently said that Giannis was "close" to returning, but even with him back, the road ahead looks steep for Milwaukee.
The Bucks did pick up some reinforcements ahead of the February 5 trade deadline.
They brought in Cam Thomas after the Brooklyn Nets waived the young guard, and he has already shown flashes of what he can do, scoring 34 points in a win over the Orlando Magic earlier this week.
Ousmane Dieng, who came over in a deadline deal, also had a strong showing with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists in a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 12.
Still, without Giannis, Milwaukee has struggled to stay competitive.
The franchise kept him through the trade deadline despite heavy interest from teams like the Golden State Warriors and the Miami Heat, and Antetokounmpo made it clear he wanted to stay by posting the famous "I'm not leaving" clip from The Wolf of Wall Street moments after the deadline passed.
What Comes Next
The Bucks' next game is not until February 20 against the New Orleans Pelicans, so Giannis has a few extra days to continue ramping up.
If he truly feels 100 percent like he says, Milwaukee could get a boost when the second half of the season tips off.
But with 29 games left and a lot of ground to make up, the Bucks will need Giannis to stay healthy for the rest of the way, and that has been easier said than done this season.