Giannis Antetokounmpo

Part 1: Early Life

Giannis Antetokounmpo was born on December 6, 1994. He was born in Athens, Greece. His parents came from Nigeria to Greece.

Giannis has four brothers. His older brother is named Thanasis. His younger brothers are Kostas and Alex. Francis is his oldest half-brother.

Life was hard for Giannis and his family. They didn't have much money. Giannis and his brothers helped their parents by selling things on the street.

Part 2: Discovering Basketball

Giannis started playing basketball when he was 13 years old. Before that, he played soccer.

At first, Giannis was not very good at basketball. But he was tall and had long arms. He worked hard to get better.

Giannis played for a small team in Athens. The team was called Filathlitikos. He practiced a lot and grew taller. Soon, he became very good.

Part 3: Growing Up Fast

As a teenager, Giannis grew very tall very fast. When he was 13, he was 6 feet (1.83 meters) tall. By 18, he was 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall!

Giannis also got stronger. He could run fast and jump high. He could do many things on the basketball court.

People started to notice Giannis. They saw that he was special. Some people from other countries came to watch him play.

Part 4: Coming to the NBA

In 2013, Giannis entered the NBA draft. The NBA is the best basketball league in the world.

The Milwaukee Bucks chose Giannis. He was the 15th pick in the draft. Many people didn't know much about him.

Giannis was only 18 years old when he came to America. He had never left Greece before. Everything was new and different for him.

Part 5: Early NBA Career

Giannis's first year in the NBA was hard. He was young and still learning. The game was faster and the players were stronger.

But Giannis worked very hard. He practiced all the time. He got stronger and learned new skills.

Each year, Giannis got better. He could score more points. He could get more rebounds. He could help his team in many ways.

Part 6: The Greek Freak

People started calling Giannis "The Greek Freak." This was because:
- He was from Greece
- He could do amazing things on the court
- He was very tall but could move like a smaller player

Giannis liked this nickname. It showed how special he was as a player.

Part 7: Becoming a Star

In 2017, Giannis was chosen to play in his first All-Star game. The All-Star game is for the best players in the NBA.

Giannis was becoming one of the best players in the league. He could:
- Score many points
- Get many rebounds
- Block shots
- Pass the ball well

He was good at everything in basketball. This is very rare.

Part 8: MVP Seasons

In the 2018-2019 season, Giannis had an amazing year. He helped the Bucks win many games. He scored many points and got many rebounds.

At the end of the season, Giannis won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. This means he was the best player in the whole NBA that year.

The next year, Giannis won MVP again! He was even better than before. Only a few players have won MVP two years in a row.

Part 9: Winning the Championship

For a long time, Giannis and the Bucks were very good. But they couldn't win the NBA championship. They came close but always lost.

In 2021, the Bucks had another chance. They played against the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals.

Giannis played amazingly well in the Finals. In one game, he scored 50 points! The Bucks won the championship. Giannis was named the Finals MVP.

Part 10: Playing Style

Giannis is special because of how he plays:
- He is very tall (6 feet 11 inches or 2.11 meters) but can move like a smaller player
- He is very strong and can push past other players
- He can run fast on a fast break (when the team runs to score quickly)
- He can block shots and stop other teams from scoring
- He can pass the ball well to his teammates

Giannis is best at scoring close to the basket. He can dunk the ball very well. But he also practices shooting from far away to get better.

Part 11: Playing for Greece

Giannis doesn't only play for the Milwaukee Bucks. He also plays for the Greek national team.

He has played in the EuroBasket tournament. This is a big competition for European countries. Giannis helped Greece do well in this tournament.

In 2021, Giannis played in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. It was his first time in the Olympics. He was very proud to play for Greece.

Part 12: Awards and Achievements

Giannis has won many awards in his career:
- 1 NBA championship (2021)
- 1 NBA Finals MVP (2021)
- 2 NBA Most Valuable Player awards (2019, 2020)
- 1 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award (2020)
- 7 NBA All-Star selections
- 1 NBA Most Improved Player award (2017)

Giannis is one of only three players to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. This shows how good he is at all parts of basketball.

Part 13: Personal Life

Giannis is in a relationship with Mariah Riddlesprigger. They have two sons together.

Giannis loves his family very much. He often talks about how his parents and brothers helped him become successful.

Giannis is known for being humble and kind. He doesn't like to show off. He works hard and always tries to get better.

Part 14: Life Off the Court

Giannis likes to have fun. He often tells jokes in interviews. He loves to eat American food, especially smoothies!

Giannis cares about helping others. He gives money to help poor people in Milwaukee and in Greece. He wants to make life better for people who don't have much, like his family when he was young.

Giannis is learning to speak better English. He also speaks Greek and a little bit of Nigerian languages from his parents.

Part 15: Future and Legacy

Giannis is still young for a basketball player. He can still get better and win more awards.

Many young players want to play like Giannis. He has changed how people think about tall players in basketball.

Giannis is proud of where he came from. He shows that with hard work, you can succeed even if life is hard at first.

People will remember Giannis as one of the best players in NBA history. He is an example of how you can come from a poor family and become a big star.

Vocabulary List

Here are some important words from the article:

1. Discover - to find something new
2. Teenager - a person between 13 and 19 years old
3. Draft - when NBA teams choose new players
4. Rebound - catching the ball after a missed shot
5. Nickname - a special name given to someone, not their real name
6. All-Star - one of the best players in the league
7. MVP (Most Valuable Player) - the best player
8. Championship - winning first place in a big competition
9. Fast break - when a team runs fast to try to score quickly
10. Dunk - to score by putting the ball directly through the hoop with your hands
11. National team - a team that plays for a country
12. Olympic Games - a big sports event with many countries
13. Humble - not proud or showing off
14. Interview - when someone asks you questions, often for TV or a newspaper
15. Legacy - how people remember someone after they stop playing


Part 1: Early Life
1. When and where was Giannis Antetokounmpo born?
2. Where did Giannis's parents come from?
3. How many brothers does Giannis have?

Part 2: Discovering Basketball
4. How old was Giannis when he started playing basketball?
5. What sport did Giannis play before basketball?

Part 3: Growing Up Fast
6. How tall was Giannis when he was 13 years old?
7. How tall was Giannis when he was 18 years old?

Part 4: Coming to the NBA
8. In what year did Giannis enter the NBA draft?
9. Which team chose Giannis in the draft?

Part 5: Early NBA Career
10. Was Giannis's first year in the NBA easy or difficult?
11. What did Giannis do to get better each year?

Part 6: The Greek Freak
12. What is Giannis's nickname?
13. Why do people call Giannis "The Greek Freak"?

Part 7: Becoming a Star
14. In what year did Giannis play in his first All-Star game?
15. Name two things Giannis was good at on the basketball court.

Part 8: MVP Seasons
16. In which season did Giannis win his first MVP award?
17. How many MVP awards has Giannis won?

Part 9: Winning the Championship
18. In what year did Giannis and the Bucks win the NBA championship?
19. How many points did Giannis score in one game of the Finals?

Part 10: Playing Style
20. How tall is Giannis?
21. What is Giannis best at when scoring?

Part 11: Playing for Greece
22. What is EuroBasket?
23. In which Olympic Games did Giannis play?

Part 12: Awards and Achievements
24. How many times has Giannis been an NBA All-Star?
25. What special award did Giannis win in 2020 besides MVP?

Part 13: Personal Life
26. How many children does Giannis have?
27. Is Giannis known for being humble or showing off?

Part 14: Life Off the Court
28. What American food does Giannis love?
29. How does Giannis help other people?

Part 15: Future and Legacy
30. Is Giannis old or young for a basketball player?

Vocabulary Practice
31. What does "humble" mean?
32. What is a "fast break" in basketball?