Giannis Antetokounmpo has a $70 million fortune now, but his Greek citizenship status once prevented him from moving forward

Advait Jajodia | 03/08/2022
Giannis Antetokounmpo has a $70 million fortune now, but his Greek citizenship status once prevented him from moving forward

Giannis Antetokounmpo was not allowed to play in Greece’s Division 1 basketball league as he wasn’t a Greek citizen.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most dominant players the league has ever seen. Rightfully nicknamed “The Greek Freak”, the Bucks forward is a tough force to reckon with on both sides of the paint. Being a two-way superstar, Giannis is well-equipped with all the abilities to be a pest on the defensive end and score points at will, offensively.

Almost a decade into being an NBA pro, Giannis has already put up an incredible Hall-Of-Fame type resume. Over a span of 9 years, the 6-foot-11 beast has made 6 All-Star appearances, 6 All-NBA selections, 5 All-Defensive selections, won the 2017 MIP, 2 MVPs, a DPOY, and 1 NBA championship along with the Finals MVP.

However, in order to see the success he has been witnessing today, Giannis has come a long, long way.

Also Read: Kawhi Leonard turned into The Terminator against $70M worth Giannis Antetokoumpo and it paid off

Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 9.5/5/1.4 as an 18 y/o in Greece’s Division 2 league

Giannis is the son of Nigerian immigrants. Despite being born in Greece, the Antetokounmpo brothers were always considered as foreigners.

Since they weren’t Greek citizens, Giannis was not allowed to play in Greece’s top-most division.

Instead, the then-18-year-old had to suit up for Filathlitikos AO, a Division II team in Greece. During the 2012-2013 season, despite being the youngest player on the roster, Antetokounmpo had a terrific year. Playing 22.5 minutes per game, he averaged 9.5 points, 5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1 block per game while shooting at an efficient 46.4% from the field and 72% from the charity stripe.

At one point in that season, Filathlitikos played against Nea Kifisia in a crucial game. This tie would determine which of the two would be promoted to the top Greek division. In an important clash, in front of several NBA scouts, the 18-year-old ended up scoring merely 4 points as his team faced an 89-81 double overtime loss.

In less than two months,  the Milwaukee Bucks picked Giannis with their 15th pick in the 2013 draft… And the rest is history.

Also Read: Giannis Antetokounmpo shares his workout experience with the late Kobe Bryant

Post Edited By: Advait Jajodia
Giannis Antetokounmpo

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Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over four years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,700+ articles.

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