Two time MVP, Finals MVP, 6 time All Star and NBA Champion Giannis Antetokounmpo is on track to go down as one of the greatest big men of all time.
This week the Greek Freak was shortlisted for a potential 3rd MVP accolade and his Milwaukee Bucks look primed to go deep into the playoffs and attempt to become back to back champions.
Even the most casual of basketball fans know who Giannis is, The NBA 2K19 cover athlete is one of the superstars of the modern game, but how much do you truly know about him?
I’ve done a stalk of the big fella and I’ve got even more pub ammo for you to rattle off to your mates during the playoffs.
Here’s 10 things you probably didn’t know about Giannis Antetokounmpo.
1. How To Pronounce His Last Name
Is this joke still funny? Probably pretty low hanging fruit these days but there’s actually two different but correct ways to pronounce Giannis’ last name.
AH-ded-KOOM-poh is the Nigerian way to pronounce it.
AHN-teh-toh-KOOM-poh is the Greek way.
Giannis was born in Greece but his family migrated from Nigeria.
His last name is of Nigerian descent and traditionally, the “t”s should be pronounced as “d”s.
Giannis has said in interviews that he pronounces his last name in both ways and swaps them out without a specific preference.
2. A League First For The Antetokounmpo Brothers
Giannis is one of five brothers and to a lot of people’s surprise, he wasn’t the first brother to win an NBA Championship.
There are three Antetokounmpos that have played in the league, obviously you know Giannis but did you know his younger brother Kostas won a ring with Lebron’s Lakers in the 2019/2020 season?
The Buck’s win in 2020/2021 was also a little extra special for Giannis because he had the pleasure of winning it with older brother Thanasis as well.
The Antetokounmpo boys became the first trio of brothers to become champions in league history.
Their youngest brother Alex is also starting to make a name for himself in the G-League, Alex currently plays for the Raptors 905.
Will we see a fourth Antetokounmpo win a ring? Only time will tell.
3. A Strong Work Ethic From A Young Age
There was a lot of mouths to feed in the Antetokounmpo Household growing up and Giannis wasn’t always on supermax NBA contract.
Giannis and his brothers helped his parents earn enough money to survive by selling “anything they could get their hands on” to tourists on the streets of Athens.
“I was always out there helping my mom and dad sell watches, glasses, CDs, DVDs, stuff like that. Whatever we could put our hands on. I did it until I was around 17. But I was just doing it because I had to. There was no other option.”
4. A Very Impressive Trophy Cabinet Already
I touched on this earlier but let me list out all of the accolades Giannis has won since being drafted in 2013.
- NBA Champion
- NBA Finals MVP
- 2x Most Valuable Player (2019,2020 & Maybe 2022)
- 6x All Star (2017-2022)
- NBA All Star Game MVP (2021)
- 3x All-NBA First Team (2019-2021)
- 2x All-NBA Second Team (2017-2018)
- Defensive Player Of The Year (2020)
- 3x All Defensive First Team (2019-2021)
- All Defensive Second Team (2017)
- Most Improved Player (2017)
- All Rookie Second Team (2014)
- NBA 75th Anniversary Team
That’s an incredible trophy cabinet for the 27 year old and you’d imagine he’s probably going to win a few more at the end of this season.
Giannis also has a unique claim as the only player in NBA History to have won the Most Improved Player Award and The MVP.
Will he beat Jokic and Embiid to win his 3rd MVP?
5. You Know What They Say…
The size of the Greek Freak’s hands is something you need to see. Measuring at a whopping 9.85 inches, Giannis is 3rd on the all time list of players with the biggest hands.
Boban Marjanovic being number one and Shaq being number two.
6. First Ever International Player To Get A Nike Shoe
In June 2019, Nike released the Nike Air Zoom Freak 1s making him the first international player with a signature Nike shoe.
It’s estimated that his Nike deal nets Giannis a cool $10 Million per year.
7. The Most Deserving Of A Supermax Contract
It is really quite impressive how much Giannis used to help his parents keep the lights on when they were growing up in Athens but he certainly didn’t stop supporting his family when he was drafted.
Giannis’ first five months in the league he lived in a motel and would wire majority of his pay to his parents over in Greece.
Antetokounmpo lived so frugally in his rookie year that he would jog to games and training because he sent so much money to his family that he couldn’t afford a cab.
8. His Son’s Name is Liam
In 2020, Giannis and partner Mariah Riddlesprigger welcomed Liam Charles Antetokounmpo into the world.
Liam’s middle name is that of his late Grandfather, Giannis’ Dad who sadly passed away in 2017.
In my unbiased opinion, the name Liam is the greatest name you can give someone.
9. Drafted Before Becoming A Citizen
Despite being born in Athens, Giannis was considered a Nigerian immigrant by the Greek Government all the way up until he was 18.
2013 was a huge year for The “Greek” Freak as he was drafted 15th Overall in the first round by the Bucks and was finally granted Greek citizenship.
10. His Phone Background Is Negative Comments
Keeping Kobe’s Mamba mentality alive, Giannis scours Twitter for negative tweets about him and his game and keeps them as his phone background for motivation.
The haters are his motivators and Giannis has proven throughout his entire life he thrives with his back against the wall.