Giannis Antetokounmpo's Secret Workout: How He Returned for 2021 NBA Finals

Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a severe knee injury during the 2021 Eastern Conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks on July 1, 2021. Despite a typical recovery timeline of six-to-eight weeks, Antetokounmpo urged his teammates to win so he could return for the NBA Finals.

What happened?

Antetokounmpo's message was in stark contrast to the medical side, which said the typical timeline would be six-to-eight weeks before a re-evaluation. "They were telling me this, x, y, and z and this and weeks and you'll be re-evaluated and I was like, guys, guys, guys …" Antetokounmpo recalled before he suddenly slapped his hands together as if to snap the ghosts in the room to attention. "Guys! Game 7. Game 7 [vs. Atlanta]. It was 2-2 when I got hurt. I said guys, Game 7. Prep. Let's prep."

Why it matters for Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Bucks handled the Hawks in two more games, winning Game 6 in Atlanta on July 3. "The [expletives] did," Antetokounmpo said of his teammates answering his plea. "They gave everything they had. They didn't need me. They won both games." They would travel west to Phoenix to play the Suns, with Finals media day on July 5 and Game 1 being held July 6. Antetokounmpo was dead set on a return. He had worked off to the side as his teammates practiced and shot around, figuring out with the team's director of sports performance Troy Flanagan, strength coach Suki Hobson and physical therapist Brett Bousquet what he could do, and how much pain he could tolerate doing it with.

What comes next?

Coaches and teammates the Journal Sentinel spoke to were incredulous then, and remain in disbelief now: Coach Mike Budenholzer said, "He's got, like a serious, legitimate knee injury that every ... the whole world said he was done for the season." Antetokounmpo's determination paid off as he returned for Game 1 of the NBA Finals and went on to lead the Bucks to a championship, scoring 50 points in the series-clinching Game 6.

The secret workout

Antetokounmpo had worked off to the side as his teammates practiced and shot around, figuring out with the team's director of sports performance Troy Flanagan, strength coach Suki Hobson and physical therapist Brett Bousquet what he could do, and how much pain he could tolerate doing it with. He proved his fitness in a grueling 45-minute workout just days after the injury, which was crucial for him to be cleared to play.

The aftermath

Antetokounmpo's return to the court was a testament to his hard work and determination. His teammates praised him for his leadership and his ability to stay focused on his goal, even in the face of adversity. The Bucks' championship win was a result of Antetokounmpo's perseverance and his team's trust in him.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's secret workout and determination helped him return to the court after a severe knee injury, leading the Bucks to a championship in the 2021 NBA Finals.