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“Hey, pay for your share!”: How Giannis Antetokounmpo used to split the bill in McDonald’s when he joined the NBA

Raahib Singh
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"Hey, pay for your share!": How Giannis Antetokounmpo used to split the bill in McDonald's when he joined the NBA

A throwback to the time when 2x NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo made his friend split the McDonald’s bill with him

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a name that is known by everyone who follows the NBA now. However, it was not always the same case. The 2x NBA MVP had to work a lot to get where he is today. The Greek Freak joined the Bucks on a 3 year, $8.6 million contract back in 2013.

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Since then Giannis has come a long way. The 26-year-old has just been selected as an All-Star starter, which marks his 5th straight All-Star starter selection. In the offseason, he had inked a $228 million extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, which is one of the largest NBA contracts to date.

Throwback to when Giannis Antetokounmpo made his friends split McDonald’s bill

Back when Giannis was newly settling in the USA, he made good friends with the Bucks’ assistant video coordinator Ross Geiger. In 2017, just after Giannis had inked a 4 year, $100 million contract with the Bucks, Lee Jenkins of the Sports Illustrated did a piece on him.

There we got to know the depth of Geiger and Giannis’ friendship.  Geiger had lent Giannis his Subaru Legacy, and was responsible for his transition in music from EDM to Hip-Hop.

He was also responsible for teaching Giannis what can and cannot be sung out loud in public. They would also often dine together. Despite making millions, even on his initial contracts, Giannis refused to foot the bills.

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Recalling an episode, Jenkins wrote, “but when they ate dinner, even at McDonald’s, Antetokounmpo insisted on splitting the bill, either he didn’t comprehend how much more he earned than a video guy, or he couldn’t bear to part with the cash.”

Things have certainly changed a lot since then. Giannis has treated his dear friend quite a few times, and has grown more understanding of his wealth and good fortune.

About the author

Raahib Singh

Raahib Singh

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Raahib Singh is an NBA Journalist and Content Strategist at The SportsRush. A Computer Science Engineer by qualification, Raahib's passion for sports drew him towards TSR. He started playing basketball at 14 and has been following the NBA since 2013. His entry into the basketball world perfectly coincided with Stephen Curry putting the league on notice. Having followed the league for a long time, he decided to use his knowledge to become a sportswriter with The SportsRush in 2020. Raahib loves to put up some shots in his spare time, watch Cricket, Formula 1, and/or read a nice thriller.

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