Even though he doesn’t play in a media hotbed, basketball fans all over the world still know about Giannis Antetokounmpo. During his time with the Milwaukee Bucks, the Greek Freak has established himself as an incredible athlete and a legitimate talent. That combination, by and large, hasn’t helped him win a big NBA deal.
Although Giannis Antetokounmpo ‘s contract will pay $ 228 million over five years, the move forward has not always been a dough. In fact, in his early days in the NBA, he would have even shared the bill at McDonald’s.
Giannis Antetokounmpo moved to America and became one of the NBA’s brightest stars.
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For the most part, NBA stars follow a similar path: they show promise in high school, prove themselves in college, and jump to the NBA. Giannis Antetokounmpo, however, did things as he did.
As the nickname would suggest, Giannis grew up in Greece. His early days were not like Mediterranean holidays, however; he and his brother helped their parents sell goods on the street and, when they returned home, they did not always get much food in the fridge. But the Antetokounmpo boys found solace on the basketball court.
Giannis eventually joined the Filathlitikos group and, before long, began to capture the attention of the scouts. In 2013, he entered the NBA draft and prepared to move to America.
Antetokounmpo entered the Milwaukee Bucks as the 15th overall pick and landed in Wisconsin as a lanky teenager. Although he only scored an average of 6.8 points each time as a rookie, the Greek Freak would quickly live up to the nickname.
Since then, Giannis has grown into his body and updated his skill set; while not yet the greatest hunter, he is an amazing athlete who is capable of doing almost anything he wants on the court. He’s a two-time NBA MVP, defensive player of the year, and, he has no problem getting close to 30 points a night on average.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s contract is also very impressive
LOVERS: Giannis Antetokounmpo can thank his mother for his $ 228 million contract
Whether you like it or not, there is nothing too surprising about a professional athlete earning millions of dollars for playing a children’s game. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s contract extension, however, was nothing short of exhausting.
During the 2020 short season, Giannis ’contract emerged over the NBA landscape. Had he signed the dotted line, the Milwaukee Bucks would have held their biggest star and their hopes of building a live competition; if it declined, it would set the stage for a free agency feeding frenzy.
The Greek Freak chose to live with the only franchise he had ever known; that loyalty was, of course, rewarded by a big payday. According to Spotrac figures, Giannis Antetokounmpo ‘s contract will pay just over $ 228 million over five years. By the time he runs his course, the promotion will have earned more than $ 335 million in benefits.
The Greek Freak would share the bill, even at McDonald’s
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When he first joined the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s contract paid him $ 8.6 million over three years. While that’s a lot of money for most people, the Greek Freak didn’t want to spend it all in one place.
As Lee Jenkins explained in a Sports Illustrated feature in 2017, Giannis struck a relationship with Bucks video coordinator Ross Geiger. “Geiger lent him a maroon Subaru Outback Legacy,” Jenkins wrote. “Geiger was the best friend of Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, the man who was in charge of graduating from EDM to hip-hop, and who taught him what words he could sing in public and not he can. ”
The two ate together too. Despite making millions of dollars, Antetokounmpo refused to build the tab, even at the most formal of restaurants.
“But when they ate dinner, even at McDonald’s, Antetokounmpo asked him to split the bill,” Jenkins said. “Either he didn’t realize what more he earned than a video man, or he couldn’t keep up with the money. ”
Admittedly, both Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status and financial package have grown exponentially since the Sports Illustrated story was written. Hopefully he has taken Geiger out to dinner – and at the bottom of the bill – since then.