Overview
Giannis Antetokounmpo, often referred to as the "Greek Freak," is a Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. He was born on December 6, 1994, in Athens, Greece[1]. Throughout his career so far he has brought lots of skill and talent to the city of Milwaukee, and he has been a great player for the franchise to build around.
Early Life
Giannis Antetokounmpo was born to Nigerian immigrants Charles and Veronica in Athens, Greece.[3] He is the third child of five, his oldest Francis was born in Nigeria, while the rest were all born in Greece. He grew up in poverty, his parents were street vendors and he spent a lot of time selling merchandise with them in order to get buy.[2] His family constantly had to relocate to different houses because of eviction.[3] Eventually Antetokounmpo and his 2nd oldest brother Thanasis started playing basketball in the streets of Athens. The two began to find a true passion in the sport and started to dream about playing professionally.
Career
Antetokounmpo began his professional career with the Greek club Filathlitikos in 2011.[1] Him and Thanasis used to take turns playing because they only had one pair of basketball shoes between the two of them.[3] He spent all day in the gym playing basketball and even slept in the gym some nights. As his talent grew NBA scouts began to recognize the potential he might have. He entered the NBA Draft in 2013 and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks as the 15th overall pick.[1] Antetokounmpo played every game and practice with 100% effort. Basketball was more than just a sport to him, it was his path to get his family out of poverty once and for all.
Because of his effort he has become one of the league's top players, known for his freak athleticism, defense, and complete dominance. Furthermore, he has become one of the league's icons and a hero to many aspiring athletes no matter the sport.
