Kendrick Nunn is one of the best players in the Greece basketball league. The explosive guard has become a fan favorite in Athens, where he plays a pivotal role for Panathinaikos. Last year, he helped the team win the EuroLeague, as well as the Greek League in a triumph over arch-rivals Olympiacos. With his strong play, the Greeks wanted to have him on their national team and help Giannis Antetokoumpo at EuroBasket. But it seems that is not happening.
Kendrick Nunn Doesn’t Want to Play With Giannis Antetokounmpo
This season, Nunn is averaging a EuroLeague-best 20.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists for Panathinaikos. He would be a great addition to the Greek basketball team that qualified for the EuroBasket 2025.
Yet, following the last game against ASVEL in the EuroLeague, he shut down such discussions. In an interview with Gazzetta, he said, “Sorry, but it’s not going to happen.”
Does Greece Need Kendrick Nunn?
Greece has used another American for their point guard spot. Thomas Walkup, a key player for Olympiacos, filled the point guard duty for the national team at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He averaged 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists during the group stage. Nunn would be a huge upgrade. The former NBA guard will turn 30 this summer, and would be a great addition to the Greek national team hoping to attack the championship title.
Do the Greeks Have a Chance?
Greece is currently ranked 13th in the FIBA World Ranking. There are seven European countries ranked ahead of them, including Serbia, France, Germany, Spain, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovenia. However, only one team has a generational player like Giannis on their roster. Only Serbia with Nikola Jokic might compare to the star power of the Greeks. It is worth noting that Jokic didn’t play at the last EuroBasket in 2022. He also didn’t compete for Serbia at the World Cup, only at the Olympics.
Will Giannis Play for Greece?
Giannis is one of the most devoted players when it comes to playing for the national team. The Greeks recently qualified for EuroBasket 2025, with a win against the Czech Republic. Greece’s coach, Vassilis Spanoulis talked about the relationship he has with the Milwaukee Bucks All-Star player.
“This is about what we build in the summer, our relationship. Not just me and Giannis, but between him and the rest of the players. How much he enjoyed our journey from the Olympic Qualifying Tournament to the Olympic Games, and that he really desires and is motivated to play this summer,” said Spanoulis.
Even Giannis admitted that he wants to play for Greece again. During All-Star Weekend, Giannis talked about the possibility in an interview with COSMOTE TV.
“If I’m healthy, I’ll be there. I thought we could have won a medal two years ago in EuroBasket, but we had to play Germany twice, which is a great team. We will do our best, coach Spanoulis will create a strong squad, and we’ll put in the effort,” said Giannis.
However, Greece will have to do it without Kendrick Nunn. While the idea of him playing for the Greece national team and helping Giannis sounded great, the former Miami Heat player doesn’t want to do it. At the last EuroBasket, Greece lost in the quarter-finals against Germany.
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