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Giannis Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP Winner, five-time All-Star, and now a NBA champion. His remarkable rise to the top has been extraordinary.
Giannis was born in Athens to Nigerian immigrant parents. Giannis and his family were not recognized as Greek citizens until 2013.
Fast forward to 2021, and Giannis has signed a lucrative five-year contract worth $228.2m (170.1m)
He is a champion, activist, and one of the most prominent players of his generation. 'The Greek Freak’ is as much a star on the court than he is off it.
"My mom used to sell stuff on the streets, and now I'm here." I don't mind if I never get to the top of the table ever again.
Giannis led Milwaukee Bucks to their 50th anniversary championship, defeating the Phoenix Suns by 4-2 in Finals
After lifting the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, Giannis said these words.
The 26-year old's childhood in Greece is well-documented. He was born into a system that is almost impossible to break.
Giannis' mother was a babysitter, and his father was a tradesman. Giannis and Thanasis sold sunglasses and handbags to support their parents.
Multiple housing evictions were suffered by the family, and racist attitudes from some Greeks caused further division between the society and the Antetokounmpos.
According to the New York Times, Giannis would often stay in the gym after a long night of work outs because they were afraid of being attacked by fascists or neo-Nazis.
His statelessness meant that he and his family lived in constant danger of being deported and didn't have any access to public housing or national healthcare.
"Sometimes, I would go to school without breakfast. Sometimes, but not always. He told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that he would return, with no food.
"To this day I refuse to eat if my brothers don’t eat." This is how I was raised.
Let's go, basketball! This exit plan would start in the second lowest Greek division and end in Milwaukee.
He signed for Filathlitikos in 2011 and, after two seasons in Greece Giannis was starting to make a name for himself.
The Athens teenager was taking the game by storm and NBA scouts were alerted.
He didn't have much film and it wasn't clear what the grain was.
This led to scouts coming to Athens to witness his performances, and he was selected for the NBA draft in 2013.
All in all, 29 of 30 NBA franchises made it to Filathlitikos to evaluate Giannis before the Bucks selected him in the 2013 draft
Antetokounmpo wouldn't have been allowed to travel out of the country before the draft, as he didn't have any Nigerian or Greek documentation.
His rise to stardom altered all that.
After rejecting 18 years worth of applications for citizenship over the years, immigration officials finally accepted Giannis and his family and officially recognized them as Greek.
They decided to change their surname from Adetokunbo, to Antetokounmpo. It was a difficult name to pronounce, so David Stern practiced a lot before making the announcement.
Giannis was expected to be a top draft pick, and that's exactly what happened: "With the 15th selection in the 2013 draft the Milwaukee Bucks select Giannis Antounmpo!"
The rest is history, they say. Back-to-back MVPs, last season, and a championship to match.
It's one that even Kobe Bryant could see coming.
Giannis is a dominant power forward and doesn't seem to be slowing down, but his work on the court is equally important.
"It's more than basketball to me"
A number of US sporting games were delayed after the Milwaukee Bucks decided not to play an NBA playoffs match as a protest against Jacob Blake's shooting.
The coronavirus pandemic caused the NBA to play the final game of its 2019-20 season last year behind closed doors.
Disney World Orlando was transformed to a temporary sports facility. Giannis' Bucks won the first play-off round against the Orlando Magic, and were 3-1 ahead.
As game five approached, however, another, but familiar story emerged in the news.
Jacob Blake, a black male, was shot seven times in his back by Kenosha police, Wisconsin.
This incident occurred in a summer that already saw global Black Lives Matter protests following the May killing of George Floyd and other police shootings.
Both the Magic and Bucks completed pre-game warmups, but neither team returned to court. The NBA issued a statement about an hour before tip-off announcing that all play-off games would not be held that night.
Also, games were halted in MLB and the WNBA, NHL, and MLS.
Game five was played the next Saturday. After a win over Magic Giannis, the players spoke out to the media about their reactions to the news. They also talked to Blake's dad about the phone call they made.
"It was one thing that really moved me as an individual: if you want to do something and get it done, you can. In less than 30 minutes, we were able get the number of his family.
"We came together as one team, formed a circle and talked to his father. He was crying and telling us how important that day was for his family. That's more than basketball to me.
"The way you felt is what we will remember for the rest of your lives."
Antetokounmpo is not afraid to use his platform for social issues.
Giannis used his platform for discussion about black rights in America
He joined the Black Lives Matter march at Milwaukee in June 2020, where he spoke to the crowd, "We want change, justice and that's why are we out here." This is why I am going to march alongside you.
Giannis also returned to Greece in the off-season 2019 to participate in a variety of charity events, giving back to a community once viewed him as an outsider.
Giannis is still young and has many more years to go. It's amazing how much he's accomplished already, and what he could accomplish in the future.
The Greek Freak is gradually becoming an icon on the court and off it.
