The NBA has issued a statement denying the league or Milwaukee Bucks have conspired to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo from playing for his native Greece national team in the upcoming European championship.

Saturday, after the Bucks' All-Star posted on social media that a knee injury would prevent him from playing in the EuroBasket tournament that starts Aug. 31, Greek basketball officials issued a statement saying, “A series of indications ... had convinced us of the existence of an organized and well-staged plan by (the Bucks), with the full knowledge if not encouragement of the NBA that put the athlete on the spot and forced him to announce today that he is no longer part of the men's national team."

The NBA countered that claim Saturday night with a statement to the Associated Press.

"The NBA and the Milwaukee Bucks have followed all appropriate protocol under the NBA-FIBA agreement," the NBA said. "Giannis has an injury that has been confirmed through multiple examinations and any suggestion to the contrary is false."

Antetokounmpo, who is currently touring China, has not been practicing with the Greek national team but had been expected to join the team before the tournament. However, persistent pain in his knee led the Bucks to conduct a physical. Antetokounmpo failed the exam.

"It's the biggest disappointment I've ever felt in my career," Antetokounmpo said in a Facebook post. "I want through my heart to wish all my teammates and coaches good luck. The National Team is my favorite team, and in the future I will prove that along with my teammates we can take her up and make all the Greeks happy."