Antetokounmpo enters concussion protocol after 'new symptoms' emerge

The Milwaukee Bucks placed forward Giannis Antetokounmpo into the NBA's concussion protocol after the appearance of "new symptoms" from head contact Saturday night, the team announced Monday.

Minutes into this weekend's game against the Orlando Magic, Aaron Gordon's elbow inadvertently struck Antetokounmpo in the head. The 23-year-old immediately fell to the floor grabbing his head, forcing his team to call a timeout.

Antetokounmpo underwent testing during the second quarter, but still played most of the first half. Additional testing delayed his return for the second half long enough that his Bucks teammates built a comfortable 21-point lead by the time Antetokounmpo could be re-inserted into the game with 9:20 left in the fourth quarter. He exited for good minutes later.

The Bucks say that, given the information available at the time, there was reason to believe Antetokounmpo was safe to return. The team points to neurological testing that "created significant doubt that it was a concussion."

However, the organization has reassessed its position after further testing and lingering symptoms, ultimately resulting in the decision to place Antetokounmpo back into the concussion protocol.

After the game, Antetokounmpo said he was "probably knocked out."

"I just got hit in the head," Antetokounmpo recounted after the 113-91 win, according to the Associated Press. "I tried to block the shot. I fell down. I don't remember much after that. I have to be careful with that."

Placing Antetokounmpo in the concussion protocol means he won't be available for Monday's unprecedented game against the visiting Toronto Raptors: