Giannis Antetokounmpo Biography: NBA, Age, Wife, Net Worth, Instagram, Wikipedia, Photos, Parents

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a Greek-Nigerian professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He is widely considered one of the best players in the world and has won numerous individual and team awards, including an NBA championship, NBA Finals MVP, and two NBA MVPs.

He is known for his incredible physical traits and skills, which earned him the nickname “Greek monster”. He is also a proud representative of his ancestral country, Nigeria, and his host country, Greece, in international competitions.

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  • Full name: Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo
  • Nickname: Greek Freak
  • Date of birth: December 6, 1994
  • Age: 29 years old
  • male
  • Place of birth: Athens, Greece
  • Nationality: Greek, Nigerian
  • Occupation: Basketball player
  • Height: 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
  • Parents: Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo
  • Siblings: Thanasis, Kostas, Alex and Francis Antetokounmpo
  • Spouse: Mariah Riddlesprigger
  • Children: Liam and Kostas Antetokounmpo
  • Relationship status: Married
  • Net worth: 60 million USD

Early Life & Education

Giannis Antetokounmpo, who turns 29 in 2023, was born on December 6, 1994, in Athens, Greece, to Nigerian parents, Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo, who emigrated from Lagos.

He grew up in the Sepolia neighborhood, where he and his family faced poverty and racism.

He and his brothers Thanasis, Kostas, Alex and Francis helped their parents sell watches, handbags and sunglasses on the streets to make a living.

He only acquired Greek citizenship when he was 18 years old and had to use the Nigerian passport of his father, a former football player.

He started playing basketball for the youth team of Filathlitikos, a Greek club based in Zografou, Athens. He was discovered by Spiros Velliniatis, a scout who helped him develop his skills and potential.

He made his professional debut with the senior team in 2011, when he was 16 years old. He played in the Greek second and third divisions, averaging 9.5 points, 5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game during the 2012–13 season.

He also attended Zografou High School, where he graduated in 2013. He learned to speak Greek and English, and became interested in history and philosophy.

He is a fan of Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Kevin Durant and admires Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr.

Personal life

Giannis Antetokounmpo is married to Mariah Riddlesprigger, a former volleyball player at Rice University. They met in 2017 when she interned for the NBA’s NBA operations department in New York.

They got engaged in 2019 and married in 2021 in a private ceremony in Greece. They have two sons, Liam and Kostas, born in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Giannis is very close to his family, especially his brothers who both play basketball. His younger brothers, Thanasis and Kostas, are also NBA players for the Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively. His other brothers, Alex and Francis, played in Europe and Nigeria.

His father, Charles, died in 2017 from a heart attack, and his mother, Veronica, was a devout Christian and always prayed for him before every game.

Giannis is also a philanthropist who supports various causes and charities, such as UNICEF, the Special Olympics, and the Giannis Antetokounmpo Academy, which he founded in 2018 to provide mentoring and opportunities. for young athletes in Greece and Nigeria.

Career

Giannis Antetokounmpo has had an illustrious career in the NBA, where he has played for the Milwaukee Bucks since 2013.

He entered the 2013 NBA Draft and was selected by the Bucks with the 15th overall pick. He became the first Greek player drafted in the first round and the youngest player in the 2013 draft class.

He made his NBA debut on October 30, 2013, against the New York Knicks, scoring 10 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in 28 minutes of play.

He finished his rookie season with 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

He improved his game in his second season, increasing his averages to 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game and recording his first career triple-double in February 22, 2015, against the Philadelphia 76ers.

He also participated in the NBA Rising Stars Challenge and the NBA Slam Dunk Contest during the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend.

He continued to develop his skills and versatility in his third season, playing multiple positions, from point guard to center, and becoming a leader and star of the team.

He averaged 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game and became the first player in NBA history to rank in the top 20 in all five classes. Key statistical items for a season. He also made his first NBA All-Star appearance and won the NBA Most Improved Player award.

He reached new heights in his fourth season, averaging 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.6 steals per game, while while becoming the first player in NBA history to rank in the top 20 in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in a single season.

He also made his second NBA All-Star appearance and was named to the All-NBA Second Team and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.

He established himself as one of the best players in the league in his fifth season, averaging 26.9 points, 10 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, leading the Bucks to their first 50-win season since 2001.

He also made his third NBA All-Star appearance and was named to the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive First Team.

He also won his first NBA Most Valuable Player award, becoming the third youngest player to do so and the second player born outside the United States to do so.

He repeated his MVP performance in his sixth season, averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal per game, while while leading the Bucks to the best record in the league for the second straight season.

He also made his fourth NBA All-Star appearance and was named NBA All-Star Game MVP, All-NBA First Team, and All-NBA Defensive First Team.

He also won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming the fifth player in NBA history to win both MVP and DPOY in the same season.

He achieved his goal in his seventh season, winning his first NBA championship with the Bucks, who defeated the Phoenix Suns in six games in the 2021 NBA Finals.

He averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game in the series and scored a career-high 50 points in Game 6.

He also made his fifth NBA All-Star appearance and was named to the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive First Team.

He also won his first NBA Finals MVP award, becoming the third player in NBA history to win MVP, DPOY, and Finals MVP during his career.

He is currently in his eighth season with the Bucks, averaging 27.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per game as of December 1, 2023.

He also made his sixth NBA All-Star appearance and is considered a frontrunner for his third NBA MVP award.

Net value

According to Forbes, Giannis Antetokounmpo has an estimated net worth of about $60 million.

He earns the bulk of his basketball salary, $39.3 million for the 2023-24 season, making him the fourth highest-paid player in the NBA.

Argumentative

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been involved in controversial incidents during his NBA career, mainly related to his interactions with referees, opponents and fans. Some of the most notable controversies are:

In November 2023, he was ejected from a game against the Detroit Pistons for taunting Isaiah Stewart after a dunk. He received his second technical foul of the game for staring at Stewart, which many viewed as a harsh and inconsistent decision by the officials.

In March 2023, some critics accused him of padding his stats after he intentionally missed a chance in the final seconds of a game against the Los Angeles Clippers to ensure his own rebound. and completed the triple double. He defended his actions as a natural instinct and not a deliberate attempt to increase his numbers.

In December 2022, he was fined $25,000 by the NBA for headbutting Moritz Wagner of the Washington Wizards during a game. He apologized for his behavior and said he lost his temper in the heat of the moment.

In February 2022, he was involved in a heated exchange with James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets during a game. He mocked Harden’s defensive and free-throw efforts, while Harden responded by calling him a “freak” and questioning his skill level.

In January 2020, he was sued by a Greek artist named Ioannis Lianos for allegedly using his trademarked moniker “Exotic Greek” without his permission.

The lawsuit claims that Antetokounmpo violated Lianos’Lianos’ intellectual property rights and seeks compensation and an injunction.

Social Media

  • Instagram username: @giannis_an34
  • Twitter name: @Giannis_An34

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