After the Final of the EuroBasket 2025 Cameras captured a tense and awkward scene as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Alperen Şengün, both named to the tournament’s All-Star Five, refused to shake hands during the ceremony.
The two NBA stars, who had clashed in the semifinals when Turkey routed Greece 94–68, stood just feet apart but didn’t exchange a glance, let alone a gesture of respect. The silence between them was deafening.
Giannis and Sengun did not shake hands after the All-Star Best Five 5 players of the tournament awards ceremony in the tournament👀#basketballmaniacs #germany #turkey #greece #paobc #olympiacosbc #eurobasket pic.twitter.com/LvhyLOS7Su
— Basketballmaniacs_ (@bballmaniacs_) September 14, 2025
The tension stems from Şengün’s postgame comments after Turkey’s semifinal win, where he claimed Giannis was “not a great passer” and that Turkey’s defensive scheme exposed that flaw. While Giannis didn’t respond directly, he made his feelings clear in the bronze medal press conference:
“I’m a guy who doesn’t like to talk a lot. I let my game talk… I’ve won everything. Everything,” Giannis said.
He also added,
“You can go see my clips on YouTube. And then come back and ask me if I’m a good person. There you go. That’s it”.
Meanwhile, NBA fans are already circling the calendar: the Bucks and Rockets face off on November 9 in Milwaukee. With the tension now public, those matchups promise fireworks.
Despite the drama, both players earned their spots in the EuroBasket All-Star Five alongside Dennis Schröder, Franz Wagner, and Luka Dončić. Schröder took home MVP honors, but the spotlight lingered on the icy exchange between Giannis and Şengün.
