Giannis Antetokounmpo fondly remembers his childhood: "We were very happy"
The Greek of Miami Heat went through tough times, but he does not forget the moments that made him enjoy when he was little
Giannis Antetokounmpo has not been able to start the NBA season with a victory. The Greek forward scored 35 points in his debut with the Miami Heat, but his performance was not enough to overcome the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite this initial setback, he is expected to be one of the major stars of the competition. Behind his sports success is a story of overcoming adversity that the player himself recalled in an interview with Esquire, in which he talked about the economic difficulties that marked his childhood in Athens.
From the Greek second division to the NBA
Born in Athens in 1994, Antetokounmpo began playing basketball at the age of 13 and turned professional at just 16, when he joined Filathlitikos B.C., a team in the Greek second division.
He later signed a deal with CAI Zaragoza of the ACB League for four seasons. However, he decided to enter the 2013 NBA draft and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 15th pick.
Since then, his career has been filled with successes and accolades. Among his main achievements are the 2021 NBA championship ring, the MVP awards in 2019 and 2020, the 2024 NBA Cup title, and the league's best defensive player award in 2020. He has also been selected twice for the All-NBA First Team, four times for the All-Defensive First Team, and ten times for the All-Star.
The economic difficulties of his childhood in Athens
Despite reaching the pinnacle of world basketball, Giannis's path to the NBA was marked by challenges. During his interview with Esquire, the Greek recalled how he spent Christmas with his family when he was a child.
Antetokounmpo and his brothers would roam the streets of Athens singing kalanta, a tradition similar to Christmas caroling. With this, they managed to raise between 300 and 500 dollars, an amount that could be essential to cover the family's basic needs.
“When life got tough, we used that money to pay for rent, food, or electricity,” the player explained.
A console that made Christmas an unforgettable memory
Among those challenging years, Antetokounmpo cherishes a particularly happy memory. One Christmas, his father returned home with a console, a surprise that filled Giannis and his brothers with joy.
“But one year my father came back with a console, and my brothers and I were ecstatic. That day was probably the happiest moment of my childhood. And now, as a father, I realize what my father had to face to make that decision,” he recounted.
The Greek also remembered the long hours they spent playing together and an unexpected consequence of that gift: an increase in electricity consumption.
“We were very happy. We spent so many hours playing. And the funny thing is that the electricity bill skyrocketed because the energy consumption was so high,” he commented.
An episode that Antetokounmpo still fondly remembers and that reflects the economic difficulties he faced before becoming one of the big stars of the NBA.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Giannis Antetokounmpo recuerda con cariño su infancia: "Éramos muy felices"