Giannis Antetokounmpo, known as the 'Greek Freak', is a dominant force in the NBA. He has won multiple MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, leading the Bucks to their first championship in 2021.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known as the 'Greek Freak', was born on December 6, 1994, in Athens, Greece.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was born on December 6, 1994.
Giannis Antetokounmpo started growing up in 2004.
In 2006, as a young boy, Giannis Antetokounmpo would sell pocket watches to earn money due to his parents' financial struggles. There were times when he would return home without food for the day.
In September 2007, Giannis Antetokounmpo began his basketball career in high school as a junior.
In 2009, Panagiotis Zivach, a coach from the Filathlitikos Greek basketball team, trained Giannis and his brother Thanasis, providing them with valuable skills and guidance in basketball.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brother Alex were baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church on October 28, 2012, reflecting their Christian faith and upbringing.
In November 2012, Giannis Antetokounmpo made the roster for the youth squad of Filathlitikos, a significant step in his basketball career.
By December 2012, Giannis Antetokounmpo had progressed to join the senior squad of Filathlitikos, showcasing his talent and potential.
After basketball games, Giannis Antetokounmpo would skip the showers and head to a Catholic seminary in St. Francis, where he would reenact the game he just played to release his anger and frustration.
On April 28, 2013, Giannis qualified for the NBA Draft and was selected in the First round, pick 15 by the Milwaukee Bucks.
On July 30, 2013, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Bucks.
On October 13, 2013, Giannis Antetokounmpo played his first NBA game.
On October 29, 2013, Giannis started his rookie season in the NBA.
He participated in the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans on April 6, 2014, where he recorded nine points, two rebounds, and two assists in 17 minutes.
On October 16, 2014, the Milwaukee Bucks decided to exercise their third-year team option on Giannis Antetokounmpo's rookie scale contract, which extended his contract through the 2015-16 season.
On October 28, 2014, Giannis Antetokounmpo started his second year in the NBA. After an impressive rookie season, he was ready to continue making a name for himself in the league.
On February 6, 2015, Giannis Antetokounmpo achieved a then career-high of 27 points and 15 rebounds in a game against the Houston Rockets, despite the Milwaukee Bucks losing the game.
The Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Chicago Bulls, losing the series 4 games to 2.
On October 26, 2015, the Milwaukee Bucks decided to exercise their fourth-year team option on Giannis Antetokounmpo's rookie scale contract, which extended his contract through the 2016-17 season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo started his 3rd season in the NBA on October 27, 2015.
On February 22, 2016, Giannis Antetokounmpo achieved his first career triple-double in a game, showcasing his versatile skills in scoring, rebounding, and assists.
On September 19, 2016, Giannis Antetokounmpo signed a significant four-year, $100 million contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo started his 4th season in the NBA on October 25, 2016. This marked another milestone in his career as he continued to improve his skills and performance.
On January 19, 2017, at 22 years and 74 days old, Giannis Antetokounmpo became the youngest player in Milwaukee Bucks franchise history to start in an All-Star Game, showcasing his rapid rise and impact in the NBA.
On February 10, 2017, Antetokounmpo achieved a new career high by scoring 41 points in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, although his team lost 122-114.
On April 3, 2017, Giannis Antetokounmpo was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games played in March, highlighting his exceptional performance and leadership for the Milwaukee Bucks.
On April 15, 2017, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a then playoff career-high 28 points in a game against the Toronto Raptors, demonstrating his impact and scoring ability in the playoffs.
The Bucks lost Game 6 of the playoffs three days after a 34-point performance by Antetokounmpo, resulting in a 4-2 defeat and elimination from the playoffs.
Antetokounmpo scored a then career-high 44 points in a 113–110 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, showcasing his offensive prowess early in the 2017-18 season.
On October 27, 2017, Giannis entered his 4th season in the NBA.
Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 44 points in a 113-110 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Despite Antetokounmpo's efforts with 22 points and nine rebounds in Game 7, the Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
On April 28, 2018, the Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated from the playoffs after a 112–96 loss in Game 7.
At the 2019 NBA Awards, Giannis Antetokounmpo was named the league's Most Valuable Player, becoming the third youngest player to win the MVP over the previous 40 seasons.
On March 13, 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family pledged $100,000 to support the staff of the Fiserv Forum who were affected by the suspension of the 2019-20 NBA season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On September 18, 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo won his second consecutive Most Valuable Player award, joining a select group of players to achieve this feat.
On December 15, 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo re-signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, agreeing to a 5-year, $228 million extension, the largest in NBA history.
On June 29, 2021, during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks, Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a left knee injury after colliding with Clint Capela, resulting in a hyperextension. He was ruled out for Games 5 and 6.
On August 20, 2021, Giannis Antetokounmpo became a minority owner of the Major League Baseball team Milwaukee Brewers, showcasing his interest in sports beyond basketball.
On October 19, 2021, Antetokounmpo received his first NBA championship ring and recorded 32 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists in a 127–104 win over the Nets.
On January 13, 2022, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a 118–99 win over the Golden State Warriors with 30 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, and 3 blocks, achieving multiple 30-point triple-doubles in less than thirty minutes.
On February 6, 2022, Antetokounmpo recorded 28 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists as the Bucks became the first team in NBA history to see their entire starting lineup record at least 15 points, five rebounds, and two three-pointers in a single game.
On February 8, 2022, Antetokounmpo scored 44 points with 14 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks, and 0 turnovers on 17-of-20 shooting from the field in a 131–116 win against the Lakers, extending his streak of recording at least 25 points for 20 consecutive games.
On February 15, 2022, Antetokounmpo scored a season-high 50 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on 17-of-21 shooting from the field in a 128–119 win against the Indiana Pacers, achieving a rare feat in NBA history.
On March 29, 2022, Antetokounmpo scored 40 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, delivered six assists, and had a game-deciding block on Joel Embiid to lead the Bucks to a 118–116 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
On April 20, 2022, during Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs, Antetokounmpo logged 33 points, 18 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 blocks in a 114–110 loss against the Chicago Bulls, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most playoff points in Bucks franchise history.
On May 13, 2022, Antetokounmpo posted 44 points, 20 rebounds, and 6 assists in a Game 6 loss, joining elite company in NBA playoff history with a 40/20/5 performance.
On May 21, 2022, Antetokounmpo was selected to his fourth consecutive NBA All-Defensive First Team, tying the franchise record for most selections with Sidney Moncrief.
On May 24, 2022, Antetokounmpo was selected to his fourth consecutive All-NBA First Team and sixth consecutive overall, becoming the first player in Bucks history to achieve six All-NBA team honors.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's journey from growing up undocumented and impoverished on the streets of Greece to becoming an NBA superstar with inspiring resilience and determination.
On August 25, 2022, Antetokounmpo scored a national team career-high 40 points, along with 8 rebounds and 5 assists, in a game against Serbia in the 2023 World Cup qualifiers.
In September 2022, Antetokounmpo played in the EuroBasket 2022 with Greece, scoring 41 points in a group stage win over Ukraine. He had an outstanding performance throughout the tournament.
On October 22, 2022, in the second game of the 2022–23 season, Antetokounmpo scored 44 points and grabbed 12 rebounds on 17-of-21 shooting from the field in less than 28 minutes, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a 125–105 victory over the Houston Rockets. This marked just the fifth time in NBA history a player achieved at least 44 points in under 28 minutes.
In the next game after his record-breaking performance, on October 23, 2022, Antetokounmpo scored 43 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 5 assists, and blocked 3 shots in a 110–99 win against the Brooklyn Nets. He contributed 34 points in the second half, leading the Bucks to overcome a 12-point halftime deficit.
On November 4, 2022, Antetokounmpo recorded his 30th career triple-double with 26 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 115–102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. This win improved the Bucks' season start to 8–0, the best in franchise history.
On December 28, 2022, Antetokounmpo scored 45 points, grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds, and delivered 7 assists in a 119–113 overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls. Despite the loss, his performance was remarkable.
On January 3, 2023, Antetokounmpo achieved a then career-high of 55 points, along with 10 rebounds and seven assists in a 123–113 win over the Washington Wizards, showcasing his dominance on the court.
On January 29, 2023, Antetokounmpo scored 50 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in just 30 minutes of play, leading the Bucks to a 135–110 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. This marked his 10th 40+ point game of the season.
On February 2, 2023, Antetokounmpo scored 54 points, with 20 of them coming in the fourth quarter, and grabbed 19 rebounds to help the Milwaukee Bucks overcome a 21-point deficit and beat the Los Angeles Clippers 106–105. This marked his third 50-point game of the season.
On February 19, 2023, Team Giannis, led by Antetokounmpo, won the 2023 NBA All-Star Game by defeating Team LeBron 184–175. This victory marked Team Giannis' first win in an NBA All-Star Game.
On April 9, 2023, Antetokounmpo finished the regular season with a career-high average of 31.1 points per game, leading the Bucks to a league-best 58–24 record. He became only the second player in NBA history to average 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ assists while shooting over 55% from the field.
In the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs against the Miami Heat, despite Antetokounmpo's impressive performances, the Bucks were eliminated in five games. Antetokounmpo's 38-point, 20-rebound effort in Game 5 was not enough to prevent the closeout overtime loss.
On October 23, 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo signed a three-year, $186 million extension with the Bucks.
On November 9, 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 54 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a game against the Indiana Pacers.
On November 18, 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 40 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists in a game against the Dallas Mavericks.
On November 20, 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 42 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists in a game against the Washington Wizards.
On December 13, 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 64 points in a game against the Indiana Pacers.
On December 17, 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time rebounds leader in Bucks history.
On December 19, 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo had his 37th career triple-double in a game against the San Antonio Spurs.
On January 24, 2024, Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his 42nd career triple-double in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
On January 25, 2024, Giannis Antetokounmpo was named the Eastern Conference captain for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.
D'Angelo Russell scored 44 points to help the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers secure a stunning 123-122 win against the Milwaukee Bucks. Russell's exceptional performance contributed to the Lakers' victory over the Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo missed his second consecutive game as the Milwaukee Bucks faced the Boston Celtics. His absence was felt as the Bucks competed without their star player against the Celtics.
On March 26, 2024, Giannis Antetokounmpo posted his 44th career triple-double in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in a thrilling double-overtime game, with a standout performance from Austin Reaves. Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence due to injury impacted the Bucks' performance against the Lakers.
The Washington Wizards secured a 117-113 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, with Giannis Antetokounmpo achieving a triple-double. Despite his impressive performance, the Bucks fell short against the Wizards.