Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is back but not fully recovered after missing the beginning of training camp due to COVID-19, he told reporters Saturday.

Antetokounmpo did not take contact Saturday in his first practice back since testing positive for the illness in Greece.

“I think it took a toll on my body. I’m not feeling 100 percent yet, physically,” Antetokounmpo said Saturday.

Antetokounmpo added, “I’ve got like 18 days until the first game, so I think I’ll be fine.”

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers told reporters he expected Antetokounmpo to need three days before he would be able to ramp up to full contact.

“He told me two, but after watching him, I think it’s three for sure,” Rivers said.

Both Antetokounmpo and Rivers said the Bucks star needed some conditioning work before he could get up to full speed, despite dominating just three weeks ago in Greece’s run to a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2025.

“He went from the Euro league, and then took a week off, and then right when he’s about to start back up then he gets that,” Rivers said about Antetokounmpo’s illness. “So now that’s two and a half weeks. That’s a lot of off time. It takes, what, three days to get out of shape?”

Antetokounmpo meanwhile noted his Bucks teammates were “going too fast for me” in his Saturday return to camp.

“I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting old or because I haven’t played basketball for a couple of weeks,” Antetokounmpo joked, before adding: “I’ve been playing all summer. I’ll be fine. I’ve just got to get back in shape.”

Given the timeline predicted by Rivers, it sounds like Antetokounmpo won’t be making an exhibition appearance when the Bucks open the preseason with a Monday road game against the Miami Heat.

The Bucks will hope to have their perennial MVP finalist back in the lineup and at full strength by the time the team opens the regular season with a Wednesday, Oct. 22 home game against the Washington Wizards.