Thanasis Antetokounmpo is leaving the NBA and returning to Greek basketball. The forward has signed a two-year deal with Aris BC in Thessaloniki that includes a team option for a third season, as the club itself confirmed on Tuesday, 1 September.
Back to Thessaloniki
The 34-year-old Greek international, listed at 6-foot-7, ends a run of six of the past seven seasons in North America, spent mostly with the Milwaukee Bucks, with whom he won the NBA title in 2021. His NBA exit comes as his brother Giannis Antetokounmpo moves to the Miami Heat, a roster where the veteran forward no longer fit the new plan.
In Thessaloniki, Thanasis joins a project targeting the Greek Basketball League and EuroCup. Aris have built an ambitious roster for the new season, and adding the eldest Antetokounmpo brother raises both the sporting and media profile of the club.
Previous chapter in Greece
Thanasis is not new to the domestic scene. After his early years in Greece, he spent two seasons with Panathinaikos BC from 2017 to 2019, winning two national titles before returning to Milwaukee. With this move, all four Antetokounmpo brothers have played in the NBA at some point in their careers.
At Aris he will team up with his brother Kostas Antetokounmpo in a squad that also features several international veterans. Thessaloniki club are pushing for an immediate competitive leap, and the veteran forward brings leadership, perimeter defense and familiarity with the Greek environment.
The two-year deal with a third-year option was reported by TalkBasket and BeBasket in separate pieces on the Aris announcement and the player return to European competition.
