Thanasis returns to Greece with Aris BC
Thanasis Antetokounmpo is heading back to Greece after signing with Aris BC on a 2+1-year deal. The move brings the veteran forward back to the country where his professional career began.
He joins Aris after playing the 2025-26 season with the Milwaukee Bucks. His return adds another chapter to a professional career that has included NBA, European and Greek basketball.
A return to Greece
The move marks Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s return to Greece after seven NBA seasons. He previously played for Filathlitikos and Panathinaikos before returning to the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2019.
His latest Greek stop will be with Aris in Thessaloniki, where preparations for the new season are underway. The club lists Antetokounmpo as a forward on its current roster.
The contract structure
Aris announced the agreement as a two-year deal with a club option for a third season. That structure means the team, rather than Antetokounmpo, controls whether the additional season is activated.
The announcement was made September 1, ahead of Aris’ 2026-27 campaign. The signing gives the club a veteran forward under contract beyond the upcoming season, subject to the third-year option.
His NBA chapter with Milwaukee
Antetokounmpo spent six of his seven NBA seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, joining the team in 2019. He remained with Milwaukee through 2025-26 after missing the 2024-25 season with an Achilles injury.
In 2025-26, he appeared in 34 regular-season games and averaged 1.4 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 4.4 minutes per game. His Bucks season preceded his return to Greece.
An NBA championship on his résumé
Antetokounmpo was part of Milwaukee’s 2021 NBA championship team during the Bucks’ title run. He played 13 playoff games that postseason, including appearances during the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns.
The championship became his first NBA title and came during his third season with Milwaukee. He remained with the Bucks for five more seasons after the 2021 championship.
His earlier path through the G League
Before establishing himself in the NBA, Antetokounmpo played in the NBA Development League, now known as the G League. He joined the Delaware 87ers after beginning his professional career with Filathlitikos in Greece.
He later played for the Westchester Knicks after New York selected him in the 2014 NBA Draft. In 2014-15, he averaged 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists for Westchester.
The Knicks draft and NBA debut
The New York Knicks selected Antetokounmpo in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. He was the 51st overall pick, according to NBA records. During the 2015-16 season, he made two NBA appearances for New York while playing 44 games for Westchester.
His G League production that season included 10.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
A European stop with Andorra
Antetokounmpo returned to Europe in 2016 to play for Andorra in Spain. He averaged 7.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while helping the club reach the playoffs after a 22-year absence.
In Andorra’s playoff series against Real Madrid, he averaged 12.7 points and 4.7 rebounds. The Spanish chapter lasted one season before he returned to Greece with Panathinaikos in 2017.
Interesting fact: Aris BC is one of Greece’s most decorated basketball clubs. The Thessaloniki team has won 10 Greek championships, eight Greek Cups, one Greek Super Cup and three European trophies, giving it a major place in Greek basketball history.
Two Greek titles with Panathinaikos
Antetokounmpo signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos in 2017 after returning to Greece. He averaged 5.6 points and 2.7 rebounds across 67 games in Greek competitions and the EuroLeague during his first season.
He helped Panathinaikos win the Greek championship in 2018 and repeated that achievement in 2019. He was also named MVP of the 2018 Greek All-Star Game.
Interesting fact: Aris’ home arena is named after Greek basketball legend Nikos Galis. Nick Galis Hall has been the club’s home since the late 1970s and became especially famous during Aris’ dominant era in the 1980s.
His role with the Greek national team
Antetokounmpo has represented Greece’s senior national team since 2016. FIBA lists him on Greece’s roster for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers.
In the latest second-round games against Ukraine and Spain in August 2026, he averaged 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds across two appearances. He also recorded one assist per game during those contests.
Aris prepares for the new season
Aris is preparing for the 2026-27 season under head coach Vassilis Spanoulis. The club held its first practice with returning internationals on September 2, with Antetokounmpo among the players present.
Aris also lists Kostas Antetokounmpo on its roster at center, giving the brothers the opportunity to share a club again. Kostas was undergoing knee treatment during the September 2 practice session.
A new chapter in Thessaloniki
Antetokounmpo now begins his Aris chapter after completing the 2025-26 season with Milwaukee. His contract covers two seasons, while the club retains the option to add a third year.
Aris has also scheduled preseason work and European competition for the 2026-27 campaign. The club’s roster lists Antetokounmpo alongside Kostas Antetokounmpo, who joined Aris earlier in the offseason.
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EuroCup competition awaits
Aris will compete in the BKT EuroCup during the 2026-27 season, beginning its group-stage schedule against Le Mans Sarthe Basket in France on September 29. The club has 18 group-stage games scheduled through January 2027.
The European schedule gives Antetokounmpo another competition alongside Greece’s domestic season. Aris has already begun preseason preparations, with the team scheduled for additional practices and exhibition games before its EuroCup opener.
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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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