Giannis Antetokounmpo: Greek-Nigerian professional basketball player Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His stature, strength, quickness, and ball-handling prowess, Antetokounmpo’s nationality, have earned him the moniker “Greek Freak.”
Antetokounmpo began playing basketball for the young teams of Filathlitikos in Athens, where he was born and nurtured by immigrants from Nigeria. Before being taken by the Bucks with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft, he started playing for the club’s senior team in 2011.
Who Is Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Giannis Adetokunbo, the actual name of Giannis Antetokounmpo, was born on December 6, 1994, to Nigerian immigrants Charles and Veronica in Athens, Greece. He has two younger brothers, Kostas and Alex, and two older brothers, Thanasis and Francis.
He and his brother Thanasis supported their family by hawking handbags, watches, and sunglasses on the streets because his parents struggled to find employment. Antetokounmpo started playing basketball in 2007.
He remained stateless for the first 18 years because he could not leave Greece because he did not have Greek citizenship. He finally became a citizen of Greece in May 2013, just before the NBA draft. Antetokounmpo is a citizen of Nigeria as well.
When Did Giannis Antetokounmpo Start His Professional Career?
Filathlitikos (2011–2013)
During the 2011–12 season, Antetokounmpo participated with the senior men’s squad of Filathlitikos in the semi-pro Greek B Basket League (Third Division). After turning 18, Antetokounmpo signed a four-year contract with the Spanish team CAI Zaragoza in December 2012. The agreement reportedly included NBA buyouts after each season. Other European teams, like Barcelona and Efes, had expressed interest in signing him.
Antetokounmpo averaged 22.5 minutes per game while shooting 46.4% from the field (62.1% on two-point field goals), 31.3% from three-point range, and 72.0% from the free throw line during the 2012–13 Greek A2 League season.
He played in 26 games and recorded an average of 9.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 blocks. Additionally, he was chosen by the coaches to play in the 2013 Greek League All-Star Game as a particular participant. The coaches allowed him to play in the game as a gift for the spectators even though he wasn’t chosen as an all-star.
Milwaukee Bucks (2013–Present)
Early Years In Milwaukee (2013–2016)
Antetokounmpo formally qualified for the 2013 NBA draft on April 28, 2013. The Milwaukee Bucks took him as the 15th overall choice, which was in line with his draft forecasts as a first-round pick. He signed his rookie scale contract with the Bucks on July 30, 2013.
One of the youngest NBA players, Antetokounmpo made his league debut on October 13, 2013, when he was 18, 311 days old. In 77 games during his rookie season, he averaged 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks.
He reached double digits in scoring 23 times and twice pulled down at least 10 rebounds, both of which led to double-doubles. He concluded the season with 61 total blocks, the seventh-most by a Bucks rookie in company history, and led all NBA rookies.
MVP and NBA Championship
With seven straight victories to start the 2018–19 campaign, Antetokounmpo maintained his success. He received several Player of the Month awards from the Eastern Conference and set a new career best with 52 points in March. The Bucks finished the season 60-22, the best record in the league, under Antetokounmpo’s direction.
After defeating the Pistons in the second round of the playoffs, the club went on to win the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Raptors. Antetokounmpo was cited for his accomplishments by being selected as the NBA MVP for the year. Next year, he received the same honor again.
How Rich is Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Greek professional basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo has a net worth of $70 million. Giannis, also known as “the Greek freak,” is among the highest-paid players in the NBA, with a yearly contract of $45 million.
He set a record for the NBA by finishing the regular season in the top 20 in each of the five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. In addition, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their first NBA championship in 50 years in 2021 and won back-to-back NBA MVP Awards in 2019 and 2020.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greek National Team Career
Beyond the NBA, Antetokounmpo has competed for Greece in international competitions. He participated in the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship in 2013 while representing the Greek Under-20 national team.
The following year, he participated in the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the senior men’s Greek national basketball team. He later participated in the 2015 EuroBasket, the 2016 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup with the Greek national team.
What Is Happening In Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Personal Life?
Antetokounmpo’s son, Liam Charles, was born with the help of his partner Mariah Riddlesprigger. Most of Antetokounmpo’s family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he now resides, in early 2014. He and his family gave 20,000 masks to Greeks in Athens and Zografou in 2020 to aid in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Do you want to learn more about celebrities? Visit our website, Newswatchlist.com, for the most recent news.