NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo withdraws from the FIBA World Cup 

Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP, will not compete for Greece in this year's FIBA Basketball World Cup, which begins later this month. Early this summer, the Milwaukee Bucks player underwent minor surgery on his left knee. He disclosed on Friday that due to his health condition, he will be unable to participate in the World Cup. 

The tournament, which begins on August 25 in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan, is set to feature games between the Greek national basketball team against the United States, Jordan, and New Zealand in Manila, Philippines. The World Cup, which is held every four years, will suffer much more from his absence. The only All-NBA Team players scheduled to compete in the event are Slovenia's Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Canada's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Antetokounmpo plans to play basketball internationally again the following season and aspires to play for Greece in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.