Giannis Antetokounmpo[1] (Greek: Γιάννης Αντετοκούνμπο, Greek pronunciation: [ˈʝanis a(n)detoˈku(m)bo]; born December 6, 1994) is a Greek professional basketball player who currently plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Professional career
Greece
Antetokounmpo started playing basketball with the youth teams of Filathlitikos in Greece. He began his professional career in Greece's 2nd-tier basketball league, the Greek A2 League, with the senior men's club of Filathlitikos in the 2012–13 season. When he turned 18, in December 2012, he signed a four-year contract with the Spanish League club CAI Zaragoza.[2] The contract with Zaragoza was worth €250,000 euros net income per season, and ran from the 2013–14 to 2016–17 seasons, with the last season being an option year.[3] The contract also included an affordable buyout clause that could be exercised by any team that plays in the NBA or the Euroleague.[4] He decided to stay with the Filathlitikos for the remainder of the 2012–13 season.
During the Greek A2 League 2012–13 season, Antetokounmpo shot 46.4% from the field overall (62.1% on 2 PT field goals), 31.3% on 3 PT field goals, and 72.0% on free throws, while averaging 22.5 minutes per game.[5] He averaged 9.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, in 26 games played. He also had a PIR of 8.3.[6] He was also selected by the coaches as a special participant in the 2013 Greek League All-Star Game. Even though he was not actually selected as an all-star, the coaches let him play in the game as a treat for the fans.[7] In addition to playing in the 2nd-tier Greek A2 League during the 2012–13 season, he also played in Greece's 5th-tier ESKA league category for youth competitions. Because of this situation, he played in two separate league competitions in 2012–13 for the same club in Greece, playing for both Filathlitikos' senior and junior team.
NBA
On April 28, 2013, it was announced that Antetokounmpo was entering his name into the 2013 NBA draft, as an early entrant.[8] He fulfilled his draft projections as a first round pick by being selected 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. On July 30, 2013, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Bucks.[9] On May 22, 2014, he was named to the 2014 NBA All-Rookie second team.[10]
On October 16, 2014, the Bucks exercised their third-year team option on Antetokounmpo's rookie scale contract, extending the contract through the 2015–16 season.[11] On February 6, 2015, he recorded a then career-high 27 points and 15 rebounds in a 111-117 loss to the Houston Rockets.[12] Three days later, he was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played February 2-8, the first of his career.[13] On February 14, he competed in the 2015 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. On March 9, he scored a career-high 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting in a 103-114 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.[14]
International career
Antetokounmpo was a member of the Greek Under-20 national basketball team. He played with Greece's Under-20 national team at the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, where he shot 36.4% from the field, and averaged 8.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game.[15]
Antetokounmpo is also a member of the senior men's Greek national basketball team. He played with Greece's senior national team at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 45.8% from the field.[16]
Personal life
Antetokounmpo was born in Sepolia, Athens, Greece to Nigerian parents.[17] Although he is of Nigerian descent, he does not have Nigerian citizenship.[18] He officially gained full Greek citizenship on May 9, 2013,[19] with the official legal spelling of his name being Giannis Antetokounmpo.[20] His nickname is "The Greek Freak".[21]
Giannis has two older brothers, Francis and Thanasis (b. 1992), as well as two younger brothers, Kostas and Alexis.[22] Thanasis was Giannis's teammate in Filathlitikos, and he also played with him in the 2013 Greek League All-Star Game, while Francis has played football professionally in Nigeria and Kostas started playing officially for Filathlitikos during their 2013–14 season. All of the Antetokounmpo brothers have played basketball in the Filathlitikos system.
Thanasis was drafted by the New York Knicks with the 51st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.[23]
