Giannis Antetokounmpo is an NBA superstar. That means he gets some perks, such as playing alongside his brothers.
While Giannis has four siblings, his older brother Thanasis finds himself in the news this week. That comes after he announced he is departing the NBA to play in his native Greece. The NBA world reacted to this news in a variety of ways.
NBA World Reacts to Thanasis Antetokounmpo Leaving for Greece
One fan lamented the loss of Antetokounmpo after his run in the NBA.
The league won’t be the same https://t.co/yPdgy7BhrY
— Skip Sayless 🏆🇹🇹🇭🇹♒️🗽 (@travbryanmusic) September 1, 2026
“The league won’t be the same,” was what a user known as Skip Sayless had to say.
The eldest Antetokounmpo brother was a second-round pick of the New York Knicks back in 2014. He eventually found his way to the Bucks in 2019 and won a title with Giannis in 2021.
I will never forget this generational clip demon https://t.co/ViUNSBkMn1 pic.twitter.com/tT4uDey4B1
— crazy… (@TwoWayScottie) September 1, 2026
“I will never forget this generational clip demon,” @TwoWayScottie wrote in reference to a video in which Thanasis is about to enter a game, only for the announcers to note that means the Bucks were giving up.
He was a reserve player during his Bucks tenure, making sporadic appearances late in games or when the outcome was already out of reach. One fan pointed out how things are different now that Giannis is a member of the Miami Heat.
Pat Riley wasn’t gonna waste roster spots https://t.co/h3jzO7T4ny
— The Bombastic Bag-Man says 🖕🏾🧊🇮🇱🦝💊 (@blakkksheep) September 1, 2026
“Pat Riley wasn’t gonna waste roster spots,” @blakkksheep wrote.
There were many who believed that Thanasis was only on the Bucks team when his brother was the face of the Milwaukee franchise. The fact that Thanasis has now left, following his brother’s move to Miami, could be taken as further proof.
Giannis is still a star in Miami, but Pat Riley may not be as open to handing out roster spots while in pursuit of a championship.
That means their run of playing together in the NBA is over, at least for now.
Thanasis and Giannis this offseason pic.twitter.com/4WM7ZldLR2
— Onyx Odds (@OnyxOdds) September 1, 2026
Onyx Odds compared the two to Paul Walker and Vin Diesel driving off from each other in the “Fast & Furious” franchise.
The news also got fans thinking of other players who may need to leave the NBA soon. Bronny James thus became a target of some on social media.
Bronny next https://t.co/4zxLHoDbmQ
— SpursVentura 🇵🇷🇺🇸 (@SpursVentura) September 1, 2026
“Bronny next,” Spurs Ventura wrote. This comes after LeBron James departed for the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving Bronny with the Los Angeles Lakers. Do the Lakers still want the younger James now that his dad is gone? That remains to be seen.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo now heads back to Greece, where he is already a two-time Greek League champion, before he joined the Bucks.
