Giannis Antetokounmpo on His Parents’ Sacrifices & New Prime Video Documentary
When the Milwaukee Bucks selected Giannis Antetokounmpo in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft, fans knew little about the teenager from Greece, and he knew almost nothing about life as an NBA rookie in the States.
A little more than 10 years later, “The Greek Freak” is a two-time MVP, an NBA champion and a father of three.
Prime Video’s feature-length documentary Giannis: The Marvelous Journey looks at Antetokounmpo, his family, his basketball career, and how he overcame poverty and xenophobia in his youth, discovered the game of basketball, and came to the U.S. to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA.
“This documentary is about the sacrifice my parents had to go through every single day, and the things I have been through,” Antetokounmpo tells TV Insider. “It’s just like Chapter 1. Hopefully down the line there’s more things to talk about, but right now it’s nice to get some things off my chest.”
As a family of Nigerian immigrants in Greece, the Antetokounmpos struggled for the basic necessities. The country’s economy had tanked and hostility toward outsiders was on the rise, making life difficult and at times dangerous.
Antetokounmpo and his brothers found a safe haven in basketball. When they weren’t playing, they would go to an internet cafe to watch NBA highlights. As Antetokounmpo’s skills and game developed in Greece, he caught the eye of NBA scouts.
He came to Brooklyn for the NBA Draft, and they needed to find someone who could quickly tailor him a suit. The Bucks selected him 15th overall. And then came the many humorous pronunciations of his last name.
Being a teenager in a new land with a pro sports contract offered him some unique challenges and opportunities.
Antetokounmpo recalls in the film how he was going to bring his workout clothes home to wash when he was told he could leave them at the at the practice facility. “I can wash the clothes here?” he asked. “No, Giannis, we wash the clothes here,” it was explained. “I said, ‘You wash the clothes for me?’ They said, ‘Yes, you come tomorrow, the clothes will be washed.’ I said, ‘Oh, OK. I love the NBA!’”
There’s also the time in November 2013 when Bucks fans recognized him as he was running to the BMO Bradley Center (he wired all his money to Greece and didn’t have cab fare) and offered him a ride in their car.
“It was a funny story,” Antetokounmpo tells TV Insider. “I am thankful to this day that they were able to give me a ride so I wasn’t late to the game. I think they saved me from pneumonia. It was extremely cold. It was probably one of the worst winters Milwaukee had.”
Antetokounmpo’s love and gratitude for the Bucks organization and his new home shines through in the film. “I cannot show how much I appreciate and thank them throughout my whole career,” he says. “I give everything I have for our jersey. Not only that, the city of Milwaukee allowed me and my family to lead a peaceful life, a normal life. I can’t thank them enough.”
