Giannis Antetokounmpo
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Giannis Sina Ougko Antetokounmpo (born Giannis Sina Ugo Adetokunbo, December 6, 1994) is a Greek and Nigerian professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His size, speed, and strength have earned him the nickname "Greek Freak". He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players and power forwards of all time. Born and raised in Athens to Nigerian parents, Antetokounmpo began playing basketball for the youth teams of Filathlitikos in Athens. In 2011, he began playing for the club's senior team before entering the 2013 NBA draft, where he was selected 15th overall by the Bucks. In 2016–17, he led the Bucks in all five major statistical categories and became the first player in NBA history to finish a regular season in the top 20 in all five statistics: total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He received the NBA Most Improved Player award in 2017. Antetokounmpo has received nine NBA All-Star selections, including being selected as an All-Star captain in 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2024 as he led the Eastern Conference in voting in these four years. One of the most decorated players in NBA history, Antetokounmpo won consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards in 2019 and 2020, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to win two MVPs before turning 26. Along with his MVP award, he was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, becoming only the third player, after Michael Jordan (1988) and Hakeem Olajuwon (1994), to win both awards in the same season. In 2021, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to their first NBA championship since 1971 and was named Finals MVP. The same year, he was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. The film Rise, based on the life of Antetokounmpo and his family, was released in 2022. In 2024, he led the Bucks to win the 2nd edition of the NBA Cup, where he was named NBA Cup MVP. For his sporting achievements in his discipline, on July 10, 2024, the Hellenic Olympic Committee designated him as the Greek flag bearer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, along with race walker Antigoni Drisbioti.