Alperen Sengun was brimming with confidence after Turkey’s 94-68 demolition of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece to book a spot in the EuroBasket 2025 Final. Riding that high, he didn’t hesitate to critique the Bucks star: “He’s not a great passer. He’s an amazing player, you know, but he’s not a great passer”. Sengun admitted to using that weakness against ‘The Greek Freak’ by stating that “So we just tried to help and jump to close the paint”. Whether Antetokounmpo heard those comments remains unknown, but his response came soon after, delivered not through words but through a statement performance on the court.

After the loss against Türkiye, Team Greece had another matchup with Finland to determine who would secure third place in EuroBasket 2025. By half-time, Giannis stood out, recording 16 points and 8 rebounds to contribute to his team’s 48-34 lead. The first basket of the game was made when Giannis did a sideways no-look pass to Tyler Dorsey. The highlight was shown on the official X account of FIBA EuroBasket, and they also wrote a caption that read “Giannis is a great passer.” ‘The Greek Freak’ continued making a difference through his passing during several moments in the game.

With Greece holding a slim 5-3 lead and 6:30 left in the first quarter, the ball movement came alive. Kostas Sloukas initiated the play by feeding Giannis, who quickly swung it to Kostas Papanikolaou, positioned under the rim. Instead of forcing a shot, Papanikolaou passed the ball to Tyler Dorsey, who capitalized on the unselfish sequence by draining a three-pointer. The crisp passing not only stretched Greece’s lead but also showcased the team’s chemistry and willingness to find the best shot.

When the clock finally hit 0:00 at the end of the 4th quarter, Giannis Antetokounmpo had recorded 30 points through 9/11 (82%) field goals, and 12/16 (75%) 3-pointers. Additionally, he also recorded 6 assists along with his whopping 17 rebounds. This went a long way in getting Team Greece the bronze as they ended the game on a 92-89 score. With this win, Team Greece now secures a medal for the first time in EuroBasket ever since the bronze won by the national squad back in 2009.

Giannis hadn’t been as effective against Türkiye. He reportedly struggled to find a rhythm on the offense as well, and only scored 12 points through 6-13 Field Goals and 0-1 Free Throws. While he also recorded 12 rebounds and 5 assists, he also had 5 turnovers. Through this game, Giannis recorded the worst box plus-minus on the team, finishing at -30 in 29 minutes of play. However, Giannis wasn’t the only player to blame, since Greece lost to Türkiye by a 94-68 score.

Fortunately, while Team Greece didn’t get the chance to compete for the Gold, Giannis Antetokounmpo and co did walk away with the bronze medal. The happiness one feels from a victory like this was openly reflected by Giannis recently.

Giannis Antetokounmpo struggled to hold back tears after securing EuroBasket Bronze

Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke to reporters after the win against Finland. As the cheers were going on in the arena, ‘The Greek Freak’ did not immediately speak, as he visibly felt emotional. He held his head in his hands and did not look immediately at the camera as he seemed to be on the verge of crying. As it turned out, securing the bronze and hearing the chants from the crowd was enough to make the player reflect on his life journey till now.

“I’ve headed everything in my life through ups and downs, you know, good and bad. You know when you’re one of the best, you know, players and…. I don’t talk too much. I like my actions to talk. I don’t fake. I like basketball. I don’t like media. I don’t like being famous. I just like basketball and, every day, sometimes when you don’t play well, you know, people, you know, talk s—t about you, but this, for me, it’s almost like relief” said Giannis. “Relief because I did it for the country, I did it for myself. I did it for my family. And finally, finally, finally I f—–g did it. You know, so I’m proud”.

That wasn’t the only moment Giannis was captured getting emotional. Social media users highlighted a moment after the game where the Milwaukee Bucks star was bringing his 3 children courtside. Giannis once again looked to be on the verge of crying as he dapped his teammates. Team Greece had a medal after a long hiatus, and the 30 points Giannis scored played a major role in getting the score that high.

“Being able to inspire the next generation the way they inspired us… it’s the biggest thing ever,” said Giannis during a presser. “There’s a kid right now watching the TV that’s going to believe that one day he can win a medal with the national team the same way I  believed…”

What are your thoughts on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s recent win? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.