Giannis Antetokounmpo is a Greek-Nigerian professional basketball player born in Athens, Greece to Nigerian parents Charles Antetokounmpo and Veronica Antetokounmpo. Both from Lagos, Nigeria, Charles was a soccer player and Veronia was a high jumper.
A citizen of both Greece and Nigeria, Giannis has four brothers namely Francis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Kostas Antetokounmpo and Alex Antetokounmpo. They are all basketball players.
Francis was born in Lagos while his four younger brothers were all born in Athens. He is 3 years older than Thanasis, 6 years older than Giannis, 9 years older than Kostas and 13 years older than Alex.
Giannis is 7’0″ tall and nicknamed the Greek Freak. He currently plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association in the United States.
Giannis’s birth name is Giannis Sina Ugo Adétòkunbọ̀. Here are 13 more things about him:
- From 2011 to 2013, he played for Filathlitikos, a professional basketball club based in Zografou, Athens. On October 28, 2012, he and Alex were baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church.
- On May 9, 2013, he was issued Greek citizenship. His family surname became Αντετοκούνμπο, the Greek transcription of Adetokunbo, transliterated letter-for-letter and officially spelled Antetokounmpo on his Greek passport. On June 27, 2013, the Milwaukee Bucks took him 15th pick in the 2013 NBA draft.
- In 2014, he, Kostas, Alex and their parents moved from Athens to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
- In 2015, he received his Nigerian passport.
- In July 2016, he and Thanasis began their mandatory military service in Greece. As prescribed for Greek citizens who are permanent overseas residents, they both served a reduced three-month military service.
- In 2017, he was the NBA most improved player.
- In 2018, he was the Euroscar Player of the Year.
- In 2019, he was the NBA most valuable player (MVP).
- In 2020, he was the NBA MVP and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. In the same year, his girlfriend Mariah Riddlesperger gave birth to their son Liam Antetokounmpo.
- In 2021, he was the NBA Finals MVP and the NBA All-Star Game MVP. In the same year, Riddlesperger gave birth to their son Maverick Antetokounmpo and he became a minority owner of the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball.
- Released on June 24, 2022, the Disney movie “Rise” was based on how he, Thanasis and Kostas emigrated to the U.S. and rose to success within the NBA. He was played by Uche Agada and McColm Cephas Jr.
- In March 2023, he, Thanasis, Kostas and Alex became minority owners in the Major League Soccer club Nashville SC.
- He was 28 years old when he visited Lagos for the first time on July 30, 2023. He was with his mother.
CONAN Daily 