NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is suiting up in the Olympic Games for the first time in his career and the experience has been life-changing for the 2x MVP.
As he described it in a chat with the media, the Olympics is unlike anything else he’s endured in his 11-year career.
“I’m trying to enjoy every single day with my teammates,” said Antetokounmpo, via The Athletic. “I remember I came the first day and texted my wife, and I told her, ‘I cannot stop smiling.’ You know, just the atmosphere and the vibe, it’s just different.”
Giannis was born in Athens, Greece, back in 1994. He and his brothers grew up in poverty and had to resort to creative means in order to keep their family alive. Eventually, as Giannis discovered his gifts for the game of basketball, he trained and worked overtime to book his ticket to the league and set up a prosperous future for himself and all those who looked out for him on his rise to the top.
Today, Antetokounmpo is widely considered one of the greatest players in the game. As a 2x MVP, 8x All-Star, and 8x All-NBA player, he’s reached legendary status in the NBA and he’s on track to earn hundreds of millions of dollars before his retirement.
This summer happened to be the first that Giannis, age 29, is suiting up for his home country in the Olympics. Now Greece, which has typically been a non-factor in the basketball world, is considered a threat based on Giannis alone, who averaged 30.4 points per game last season.
Greece hasn’t been the most dominant team this summer, but they already eliminated Slovenia last month and they showed great promise in the first three games of group play.
In the group stage, Greece went 1-2 in the first three games after dropping the first two. Against Canada, Giannis had his best game so far with 34 points and 5 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to counter the team from the North, who remain undefeated so far with Dillon Brooks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and RJ Barrett.
Against Spain, Giannis had another solid performance with 27 points on 12-17 shooting but it was still not enough to lead his team to victory. In the end, they just didn’t have enough fire-power to keep up with Spain, who is also 1-2 in the tournament so far.
Finally, the Greeks added a win in their latest game vs. Australia. Giannis logged 20 points in 33 minutes to help his squad secure the 77-71 victory and avoid going winless in the group stage.
While Greece continues to be major underdogs in this tournament, Giannis gives them a chance to pull off some upsets and it’s clear from his short time in the Olympics that he loves to represent his country on the world stage. No matter where Greece places this year, Giannis is sure to be back to suit up for them in the near future.
As for the Bucks, their future is entirely unclear right now and they are entering the 2024-25 campaign with a lot of unanswered questions. Will Damian Lillard rediscover his peak form? Can Giannis stay healthy? Can Doc Rivers prove the critics wrong?
For now, it’s anyone’s guess how far the Bucks can go but Giannis will ensure that they have a chance in the East, and if he can carry his confidence in the Olympics this summer into his play for the Bucks, it will go a long way toward bringing the team back to contention.