Milwaukee Bucks fans got some hopeful news on Friday. Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is pretty likely to return to action. He could play against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. This comes after missing eight straight games with a right calf strain.
Uncertainty Lingered on Friday Night
The official NBA injury reports from Friday, December 26, 2025, still had Giannis listed as Out. These reports came out at 5:45 PM and 7:15 PM ET. They clearly said Antetokounmpo, Giannis was out with a “Right Calf; Strain”. It was even for the Bucks’ game against the Memphis Grizzlies. In fact, those same reports noted that the status for Bucks@Bulls (MIL@CHI) game wasn’t even submitted yet at 7:15 PM ET.
But then, word started getting around. The Athletic, citing league and team sources, confirmed expectations for his return. This was actually first mentioned by Pete Pranica, the Grizzlies’ TV announcer. He said it during Friday’s broadcast of the Bucks-Grizzlies game. So yeah, it’s a bit confusing, but the vibe is he’s coming back.
A Tough Absence for Milwaukee
Giannis has been a huge miss for the Bucks, obviously. He missed his eighth straight game in Friday’s 125-104 loss to the Grizzlies, ESPN recaps confirmed. He averages 28.9 points and 10 rebounds per game. That’s a lot of production to lose.
The injury itself happened early in the first quarter of the Bucks’ game against the Detroit Pistons back on December 3. Later, on December 18, Giannis told reporters it was specifically a right soleus strain. This isn’t his first calf issue, mind you. A similar injury to his *left* calf ended his 2023-24 season. It also kept him out of the Bucks’ first-round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers. That was a bad memory.
Without him, the Bucks really struggled. They’re 12-19 on the season overall right now. But get this: they’ve won just two of the eight games he’s missed. When he plays, their record is 10-7. That shows his huge impact. He’s only played in 17 of the team’s 31 games this season, actually. He’s had to leave two of those early because of injuries too. He also missed four games in November with a left adductor strain. The guy just can’t catch a break.
Ramping Up and Shutting Down Rumors
The nine-time All-Star has been working hard to get back on the court. He’s been at team shootarounds on the road. He even participated in a full-contact three-on-three session after a shootaround against the Pacers on Tuesday. That’s a good sign, you know?
Despite being sidelined, Giannis has still been in the headlines. Trade rumors have been floating around. An ESPN report earlier suggested he and his people talked to the team about his future. But Giannis seems pretty focused on Milwaukee.
On December 18, he said, “I’m still locked in, locked in on my teammates. Most importantly, locked in on me getting back healthy.” He also talked about how hard it is for his teammates dealing with injuries and rumors. He even said in June 2025 that he hoped to be back in the NBA Finals soon “with the Bucks.” That sounds pretty loyal to me.
The Bucks, for their part, want to add more talent to the roster before the trade deadline, sources told The Athletic. That suggests they’re committed to building around him.
So, while the official word from the NBA injury report was still “Out” Friday, all signs point to Giannis Antetokounmpo finally making his return. He still needs to clear pregame tests, of course. But Bucks fans will be really hoping to see their superstar back on the court for Saturday’s crucial game against the Bulls.
Tanya Singh 
Soureesh Datta