Photo: Milwaukee Bucks/YouTube

Thanasis Antetokounmpo is returning to Greece, signing a two-year contract with Aris BC that includes a team option for a third season, according to Marc Stein.

Aris announced the deal Tuesday, Sept. 1, adding the veteran forward after he spent six of the previous seven seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The move represents a return to Greek basketball for Antetokounmpo, who began his professional career with Filathlitikos. He later played for the Delaware Blue Coats and Westchester Knicks in the NBA G League before making his NBA debut with the New York Knicks during the 2015-16 season.

Antetokounmpo subsequently played overseas with MoraBanc Andorra and Panathinaikos before joining Milwaukee in 2019. He remained with the Bucks through the 2023-24 season and returned to the franchise for the 2025-26 campaign.

His most productive NBA season came in 2021-22, when he appeared in 48 games and averaged 3.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9.9 minutes per game. He shot 54.7% from the field while also contributing 0.5 assists and 0.3 blocks per game.

In 2025-26, Antetokounmpo played 34 games for Milwaukee, averaging 1.4 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 4.4 minutes per game. He shot 46.9% from the field and 56.7% on two-point attempts.

Antetokounmpo’s experience in Europe also includes two seasons with Panathinaikos. He averaged 8.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 24 Greek League games during the 2017-18 season, then posted 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 19 games the following year.

At the international level, the move gives Antetokounmpo an opportunity to play in Greece while joining a team with ambitions in both domestic and European competition. Aris competes in the Greek Basketball League and EuroCup.

The club is coached by Vassilis Spanoulis, the former Greek international and longtime professional guard who took over as Greece’s national team coach in 2023.