Giannis Antetokounmpo Childhood Story Plus Untold Biography Facts

Childhood Biography presents the Full Story of an NBA Genius with the nickname “Greek Freak”.

Our version of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Biography, including his Childhood Story, brings you a full account of notable events from his childhood time to date.

The analysis of Giannis Antetokounmpo Bio involves his early life/ family background, education/career build-up, early career life, the road to fame, and his rise to fame story.

More so, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dating history, personal life, family facts, lifestyle, and other little-known facts about him.

Yes, everyone knows he was NBA’s Most Valuable Player for 2019. However, only a few consider Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Biography, which is quite interesting. Now, without further ado, let’s begin.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Childhood Story:

For Biography starters, his full birth names given to him by his parents are Giannis Sina Ougko Adetokunbo.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was born on the 6th day of December 1994 to his Mother, Veronica Antetokounmpo and late father, Charles Antetokounmpo in the city of Athens, Greece.

Meet Giannis Antetokounmpo’s parents, who gave birth to five sons, with Giannis being the middle child. Behold, Giannis Antetokounmpo parents.

Did you know?…. Giannis Antetokounmpo has his family origin in Nigeria. His late father, Charles hails from the South Western part of Nigeria, while his mum Veronica is from the eastern part of the country.

Both Charles and Veronica 1991 decided to leave Nigeria for Greece with the hopes of securing a better future for themselves and their children.

They left behind their first son named, Francis, who stayed with his grandparents before joining them in later years.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s parents, upon reaching Greece, struggled to find employment.

Later on, his late dad Charles began working as a handyman (a person skilled at a wide range of repairs, typically around the home) while his mum Veronica got a babysitting job which they both used to make ends meet for the family.

It was in Greece that Veronica gave birth to Gianni’s elder brother Thanasis, himself, his immediate younger brother Kostas and the youngest of the family, Alex.

Giannis Antetokounmpo grew up alongside his three brothers in a lower-middle-class family background operated by his hard-working parents.

As the son of immigrant parents, life wasn’t easy in his sleepy neighborhood of Sepolia, Greece.

Early on, all brothers helped their parents in selling watches, handbags, and sunglasses in order to make ends meet.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Education and Career Buildup:

To start with, Giannis Antetokounmpo despite having Nigerian family roots, grew up adopting the Greek culture and learning the language while in school.

His parents also played an important role in ensuring they educated their sons through various forms of socialization.

When it came to choosing a sport, Giannis and his brothers preferred playing basketball, an activity that he himself began at the age of 7.

Both Giannis and his immediate elder brother Thanasis who were very close, knew they had the talent and could make something out of basketball.

It was a talent they knew if harnessed, would uplift their family’s financial status.

As TheFamousPeople put it, sometimes, Giannis and Thanasis would play the game in a near-empty stomach all in the name of overstepping their marks and setting the pace for the rest to follow.

In the wake of 2009, Giannis, having been advised by family members, decided to begin enrolling for basketball trials.

Pride of his family members knew no bounds when he bagged his first call-up to attend basketball trials at Filathlitikos, a Greek professional basketball club is based in Zografou, Athens, Greece.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Biography – Early Career Life:

Sepola, the Greek city he grew up in, was 26 minutes away from his new club Filathlitikos. Giannis’ passion for basketball saw him passing trials with flying colors and getting himself enrolled in the team’s youth setup.

Giannis was quick to make an impression on the team as he grew through the ranks, helping his side win numerous fixtures.

Did you know?… In one game, the Greek Freek notched up a whopping 50 points, a feat which saw him beginning to attract the watchful eyes of basketball scouts all over Europe and the United States.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Biography – Road to Fame Story:

In 2011, Antetokounmpo’s dreams of becoming a senior basketball player got actualized. He was promoted to the senior men’s team of Filathlitikos, where he continued to dominate the game, making his passion his job.

In the year 2012, he had already turned into a prodigy, a feat that attracted Spanish top-tier basketball club ‘CAI Zaragoza’ who contracted him for four years at € 4million per year.

 

Giannis did not get the opportunity to play for Zaragoza as he was later picked up by Milwaukee Bucks, a United States basketball club that had to beg on their knees for his signature.

Since his contract with Zaragoza was incorporated with a default escape condition, Giannis qualified for the escape having known that playing in the NBA was the heaven of the basketball game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Biography – Rise to Fame Story:

Giannis made his NBA debut on October 13, 2013, at the age of 18 years, 311 days. The debut making him one of the youngest NBA players to achieve that feat.

At the end of that season, he was named into the 2013–14 NBA All-Rookie second team. Rather than crumble, the NBA Star continued to grow from strength to strength, achieving greatness at a young age.

 

At the tender age of 22 years and 74 days old, Giannis became the youngest player in NBA history to start in an All-Star Game. In the year 2017, he became NBA’s most-improved player, along with other accolades that followed.

However, in all of Giannis’ accolades, the mind-blowing moment is in his career came at the NBA’s end-of-season awards night, where he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player for 2019.

This award came after he grabbed the Euroscar European Player of the previous year (2018).

 

Without a doubt, the multiple-time award-winning NBA all-star has come a long way from selling sunglasses and DVDs on the streets of Athens, Greece.

As at the time of writing, he is been regarded as the best among the endless production line of NBA stars to have coming out of Europe and Africa. The rest, as they say, is now history.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Love Life:

With his rise to fame into the limelight of basketball, it is certain that NBA fans must have inquired if Giannis Antetokounmpo has a girlfriend.

Asides from his celebrity status, there is no denying the fact that his handsome looks coupled with his personality and style of play wouldn’t put him at the top of most ladies’ boyfriend wish lists.

However, behind the successful NBA star, there exists as at the time of writing, a glamorous girlfriend in the beautiful person of Mariah Riddlesprigger.

Just like her sporting boyfriend, Mariah is also engaged in sports. She is an American athlete who as at the time of writing plays volleyball at Rice University.

According to her Linkedin account, she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in sports management from Rice University in the year 2014.

Mariah’s father Pat Riddlesprigger was an ex-basketballer who played for Fresno State University in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

Both lovers have often been spotted together deeply involved with each other on several occasions, and it appears they have apparently found love in each other’s arms with fans hoping for a happy ending (marriage) for them.

It’s not exactly clear how or when Giannis and Mariah first met, but they’ve been in a romantic relationship for more than two years from the time of writing.

The couple lives in Milwaukee together and often posts about each other on their respective social media accounts.

According to GreekCityFans, Baby ‘Greek Freak’ is currently on its way as Giannis and Mariah announce on the 12th of October 2019 that they are expecting their first child who is set to be a new member of the Milwaukee Bucks family.

Personal Life:

Getting to know Giannis Antetokounmpo Personal Life away from his activities at the basketball court would help you get a better picture of his personality.

Starting off, upon meeting the Greek Freek for the first time, you’ll observe he is open-minded and has a great sense of humor.

As an extrovert, he is optimistic, enthusiastic, and able to transform his thoughts into concrete actions, doing anything to achieve his goals.

Outside of playing basketball, Giannis loves listening to the music of J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, and Drake.

But his favorite of them all is J.Cole. He is considering writing Hip-hop and R&B Music as a hobby, possibly after retirement.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Family Life:

First, we want you to know that the Giannis Antetokounmpo family surname was originally called ‘Adetokunbo’.

The name “Adetokunbo” is a name of Yoruba origin (Southwest Nigeria) which literally means “the king/crown/royalty from across the seas”.

Did you know?… The name ‘Antetokounmpo’ stuck in the mind of everyone all thanks to a Greek Passport Official who incorrectly spelt his father’s name.

Hence, for the first 18 years of his life, Antetokounmpo was effectively stateless, having no papers from Nigeria or Greece. In this section, we provide you with more information about his family members.

About Giannis Antetokounmpo’s father:

Late Charles Antetokounmpo was a former Nigerian soccer player who was born on the 3rd day of August 1964. As a sportsman, he passed the genes to his sons including little Giannis.

Charles Antetokounmpo relocated from Greece to Milwaukee in 2013 with his wife and two youngest sons. Sadly, he never stayed in the world so long to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

On the 29th day of September 2017, the Giannis Antetokounmpo family witnessed the saddest day of their lives. It was the day his father passed away after a heart attack that happened at his home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

About Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Mother:

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s mother, Veronica Antetokounmpo, was a former Nigerian high jumper. She is Igbo by the tribe.

All of Veronica’s children are known to also have inherited her athletic genes but certainly not height.

 

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Brothers:

The NBA Star has four hefty brothers, two older ones, Francis and Thanasis and two younger ones, who go by the names Kostas and Alex.

Growing up, the Antetokounmpo brothers all possessed a deep yearning to have a common ground which they all found in basketball.

Facts About Thanasis Antetokounmpo:

Gianni’s older brother Thanasis is also a professional basketballer (Small forward). The second son of the Antetokounmpo family was born on the 18th day of July 1992. That makes him 2 and a half years older than the Greek Freak.

Just like his brother, Thanasis also began playing youth club basketball with the junior teams of Filathlitikos.

As of July 16, 2019, Thanasis is signed with Milwaukee Bucks, reuniting with his brother Giannis.

Facts about Kostas Antetokounmpo:

His full name has a trace of an Igbo (eastern Nigerian origin) name. This is the middle name that came from his mum.

Kostas Ndubuisi Antetokounmpo, the immediate younger brother of Giannis was born on the  20th of November 1997 and he is three years younger than his brother.

 

Just like his elder brothers, he also pursued a career in basketball. Kostas after high school moved on to play college basketball at the University of Dayton.

He plays as both a small and power forward for the Philadelphia 76ers. This is an American professional basketball team in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Facts about Alex Antetokounmpo:

Gianni’s youngest brother Alex was born on August 26, 2001, making him seven years younger than Giannis.

Just like his brothers, Alexis got his earliest education from schools in Greece. While his other three brothers led by example in their basketball careers, Alex followed.

 

Facts about Francis Antetokounmpo:

Gianni’s oldest brother goes by the name Francis. He is the only Antetokounmpo brother that was not born in Greece.

Francis was born in Nigeria in the year 1988. When their parents left Nigeria for Greece in 1991, he stayed behind. He stayed with his grandparents for a few years. Before moving to Greece to be with the rest of the family.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Lifestyle:

As of 2019, the Bucks star has an estimated net worth of $40 million. His Salaries, Bonuses, amazing endorsement deals are his main source of income.

Making lots of have transcended to living an exotic lifestyle which easily noticeable by his big mansion and flashy cars.

 

It is pertinent to note that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s lifestyle began on a humble note just like his humble beginnings.

According to ThePostGame, he once lived in a rented a two-bedroom apartment which he shared with his girlfriend, mother and younger brother.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Facts:

His Hands:

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s hand (palms and fingers) are 12 inches long. Did you know?… His hand is almost 3 inches longer than that of LeBron James.

Did you know?… Giannis Antetokounmpo’s hand (palm and fingers) is just 0.75 inches longer than the man with the largest hands ever, Robert Pershing Wadlow whose hands measured 32.3 cm (12.75 in) (Guinness World Record Report).

The Military Service:

The  Giannis Antetokounmpo family trade isn’t only basketball. Did you know? Both Giannis and his brother Thanasis severed a few days of Military service in  Greece around July of 2016.

 

It was a mandatory Greek military service which is a standard for any Greek citizen who permanently lives overseas. Because they were professional athletes, they didn’t have to fulfil the compulsory three months service.

His Honours in Summary:

Many basketball fans only got to know Giannis. At the time he grabbed the NBA most valuable player award.

However, since his professional NBA career started in 2014, Giannis has won several awards and accomplishments. Below is a list of them as of October 2019.

 

Giannis Antetokounmpo Religion:

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s parents raised their kids in a Christian home.

Most family members were baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church. This is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 260 million baptized members. Giannis and his brother Alex were baptized on the 28th of October 2012.

Fact Check:

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