The Greek Freak by Dimitri Smilovitis - HTML preview

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Outside of basketball

In August 2022, Calamus Advisors announced that they would work with Antetokounmpo on

an exchange-traded fund that invests in sustainable firms that would be called the Calamus Antetokounmpo Sustainable Equities Fund.[197]

In September 2022, Antetokounmpo joined as an executive producer for National Geographic's

documentary The Flag makers, which focuses on the large population of immigrant employees working at an American flag factory. Antetokounmpo called the project inspiring, saying: "As an

immigrant myself, I find this film incredibly personal and a deeply moving testament to those who

call this country 'home' ".[198]

Personal life

Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo playing basketball at a local

court in Spolia, Athens, in 2015

Antetokounmpo's father, Charles, was a Nigerian football player, while his mother, Veronica, is a former high jumper. [17] Charles died in September 2017, at age 54.[60] Veronica gave each of her five sons both Greek and Nigerian names, choosing the Nigerian Ugo (/ˈuːɡoʊ/ OO-Goh) for Giannis.[199][200] His parents are from different Nigerian ethnic groups—Charles was Yoruba, while Veronica is Igbo. According to basketball great Hakeem Olajuwon, also Yoruba, the original family name of Adetokunbo translates to "the crown has returned from overseas".[11] Giannis wears the number 34 in Honor of his parents, who were born in 1963 and 1964.[201]

Antetokounmpo has two older brothers, Francis (Greek name Andreas) and Thanasis, as well as two younger brothers, Kostas and Alex. [202] Antetokounmpo is a Christian and was raised in the Greek Orthodox Church. [203] He was baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church along with his brother Alex on October 28, 2012.[204]

Following their son and brother, the entire Antetokounmpo family, except for Francis and

Thanasis, moved from Athens to Milwaukee in early 2014.[205] In July 2016, Giannis and Thanasis began their mandatory military service in Greece. The two brothers served a reduced three-month military service, as prescribed for Greek citizens who are permanent overseas

residents.[206]

Thanasis made his NBA debut with the New York Knicks after being drafted by the organization with the 51st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. [207] He is now with the Milwaukee

Bucks. [208] Antetokounmpo's younger brother, Kostas, played college basketball for Dayton before being selected with the last pick in the 2018 NBA draft. [209] He went on to win the 2020 NBA

Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2021, Kostas signed with ASVEL Basket, part of the French Belic and the Euro league.[210] Their youngest brother, Alex, played high school basketball in the US before becoming a professional basketball player.

The Antetokounmpo brothers participating in the 2022

NBA All-Star Skills Challenge

In February 2020, his girlfriend, Mariah Riddlesperger, gave birth to their first son, Liam.[211] She gave birth to a second son, Maverick, in August 2021,[212][213] and announced a third pregnancy in May 2023.[214] On March 13, 2020, Antetokounmpo and his family pledged to give $100,000 to the staff of the Fiserv Forum who were unable to work during the suspension of the 2019–20 NBA

season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [215] Antetokounmpo and his family also donated 20,000 masks to people in Athens and Zografos in Greece in 2020.[216]

On August 20, 2021, Antetokounmpo became a minority owner of the Milwaukee

Brewers of Major League Baseball. [217] Antetokounmpo also holds a passion for soccer, being a supporter of Italian football club Inter Milan. [218] In March 2023, Giannis, along with his brothers, Alex, Thanasis, and Kostas, became minority owners in the Major League Soccer club Nashville

SC. [219]

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