The last time Greece was in the Olympic Games, Giannis Antetokounmpo was just starting to learn to play basketball.
When the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA title in 2021, superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo needed a moment to soak it all in.
He found a place to sit courtside, put a hand on his head as tears flowed down his cheeks, exhausted by what he and his team just accomplished.
His young son, Liam, would soon join him on the court for a celebration 50 years in the making for Milwaukee.
Three years later, Antetokounmpo's latest basketball achievement had a similar feeling and this time, he is doing it for his country.
The Greek Freak was visibly emotional after steering host Greece past Croatia, 80-69, in the finale of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Piraeus that earned Hellas an Olympic berth for the first time since 2008.
Antetokounmpo had 23 points and eight rebounds, and was in tears in the closing moments of the game with his son Liam just watching his dad soaked the moment in front of his home country.
Giannis, who was then hailed as tournament MVP, then posted a heartfelt message.
"I have never [cheated] the game. See you in Paris," Antetokounmpo said.
Georgios Papagiannis added 19 points for Greece, who also beat Dallas Superstar Luka Doncic and Slovenia in the semifinals before besting a Croatian team composed of NBA players in big man Ivica Zubac and Dario Saric in the final round.
Greece will be in Group A for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, alongside Australia, Canada and Spain – who also qualified by beating the Bahamas in the other FIBA OQT.
[ALSO READ: Brazil, Greece, Spain, Puerto Rico complete Paris 2024 basketball cast after FIBA OQT wins]
Story Summary:
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Giannis Antetokounmpo's emotional journey continued as he led Greece to an Olympics berth, shedding tears of joy after a hard-fought victory over Croatia in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
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Antetokounmpo, driven by national pride, scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the decisive game, securing Greece's first Olympics men's basketball berth since 2008.
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With his young son Liam by his side, Giannis celebrated the historic win, reflecting on his dedication to the game and looking forward to competing in Paris 2024.
[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital team. The summary was generated by AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]