The legend of Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bucks young star has all the tools to become one of the NBA’s best players

MILWAUKEE – The Giannis Antetokounmpo stories that filter out of Milwaukee are the stuff of legend.

Or, is it urban legend?

The Bucks star with a $100 million contract has a smartphone with a

cracked screen.

The morning after scoring a careerhigh 44 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 21, he was at the Bucks new practice facility — helping his younger brother Alexis, a high school sophomore, work on his skills.

And yes, Antetokounmpo, who was raised in Greece by his Nigerian parents, really wanted to have a yard sale last summer. Team officials put a halt to that. But isn’t it endearing to imagine Antetokounmpo bartering with a local over the cost of an old couch?

It’s not surprising for Milwaukeearea residents to see Antetokounmpo around town, perhaps pushing a groce-

ry cart through Whole Foods or at Southridge Mall in the suburbs.

Bridgette Wells and her boyfriend, Jim Kogutkiewicz, were walking around Milwaukee’s Third Ward near the confluence of the Menomonee and Milwaukee rivers last summer when they saw Antetokounmpo, who stopped to take a photo with Wells. Close inspection of the water bottle Antetokounmpo carried revealed the letters “MVP” on the cap.

It seems everyone in Milwaukee has a Giannis Antetokounmpo story. And what a compilation of stories it is, from his humble childhood in Athens helping his parents subsist by selling knickknacks on street corners to his improbable rise as an MVP candidate in his fifth NBA season.

Antetokounmpo, who just turned 23 two months ago, will play in his second NBA All-Star Game on Sunday. He made the All-NBA second team last season. Amid his best season — career highs in points (27.6), shooting percentage (.537) and rebounds (10.4) — Antetokounmpo could be a first-team All-NBA selection in May.

“He’s starting to understand what he can do on the court, and he’s just going to become an expert at his craft,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said.

He’s called the Greek Freak for a reason. At 6-11, he can play like a point guard, small forward, power forward or center depending on the lineup. With his length and athleticism, he can catch the ball at halfcourt, take two dribbles and dunk. He can defend multiple positions, and his wing span interrupts ball movement. He has developed offensive moves inside the three-point line that make him difficult to defend.

“He’s always been impossible,” Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. “Little bit better shooter every year, and to me, a much better decision-maker. Plus, he’s stronger, so his post-up game is more effective. He’s actually bullying other people down in the post now, so that makes a big difference, too.”

The only weakness in his game is three-point shooting at 28.6%, but the Bucks aren’t obsessed with that.

“I’ve sat in the seat. Everybody said, ‘Jason can’t shoot,’ ” said former Bucks coach Jason Kidd, who was fired Jan. 22. “But if I ever fell into the trap of believing that, I would have never become the player that I was. So why not do what I do well and believe that has an impact on winning. When you have a skill set that is so dominant in other ways, there’s no sense in rushing. You do want to get better at it. It also opens the game for everyone else.”

‘I wanted to be a soccer player’

Antetokounmpo didn’t gravitate toward basketball immediately.

“The first time I played basketball was with my dad and my older brother Thanasis,” Antetokounmpo said. “My dad was a soccer player. He didn’t know anything about basketball — nothing.”

Basketball did not resonate. “I went to a practice, and I didn’t like it,” said Antetokounmpo, who was about 12 at the time. “I wanted to be a soccer player.”

Allen Iverson changed all that. “He had the cornrows and the way he wore his shorts,” Antetokounmpo said. “I watched those videos and tried to make the same moves. That’s when I fell in love with basketball, when I was 13-14. I was around his height. I didn’t know I would grow this tall. I had a Nuggets shirt that said ‘Iverson.’ I would play out in the cold on that court making moves like Iverson.”

That court now features a giant mural of Antetokounmpo, who pulled out his phone — the one with the cracked screen — to show photos of the refurbishment, courtesy of Nike.

The story is from the heart. Antetokounmpo’s father, Charles, died unexpectedly in September.

Kidd, who developed a bond with Antetokounmpo, said the family found solace at Bucks practice that day. Their mom, Veronica, watched as her sons shot baskets.

“It was their sanctuary,” Kidd said. “They’re such a close family. We wanted to give them their space, and for their space, they came to the practice facility — to grieve, to talk, to feel at peace and to feel safe.”

In a decade, basketball has transformed their lives.

“It starts with my family,” Antetokounmpo said. “That drives me every day, just seeing them smiling. That stuff makes me feel good about what I’ve achieved so far for me and my family.”

‘Fear of failure also drives me’

Bucks co-owner Wes Edens was in Ireland when the Bucks finalized a fouryear, $100 million extension with Antetokounmpo. Edens received a text from his star player, who thanked him for the contract.

When Antetokounmpo is a free agent in the summer of 2021, the total amount of that deal could be $200 million-plus. Double thank you.

Bucks forward John Henson recalled his first encounter with Antetokounmpo after the 2013 draft.

“The day he got to Milwaukee, the coaches made us play one-on-one,” Henson said. “I kicked his ass. Ain’t kicked his ass since.”

Veteran Jason Terry noticed Antetokounmpo was different from other star players he’d seen.

“One night I came to the gym late, and he was there shooting for about 20 minutes,” Terry explained. “Then, for the next 15 minutes, he did something I’ve never seen from Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd or Paul Pierce. And he was working on defensive coverages. No one works on defense by themselves. This kid is way ahead of the curve.”

Bucks assistant coach Sean Sweeney probably spends more time with Antetokounmpo than anyone else with the organization.

If Antetokounmpo goes to Los Angeles to work out in the summer, that’s where Sweeney goes. If Antetokounmpo goes to Greece, Sweeney is there. When Antetokounmpo works out on the court before a game, Sweeney is directing drills.

“The skill he’s most talented at is working hard,” Sweeney said. “When something’s not working out well in a game, you go to what you do best, and if your best strength is working hard, you’re generally going to be in good shape and get through things that are challenging.”

The Bucks plan on having Antetokounmpo for the next seven, eight seasons and believe they have a window to compete for a title as he reaches peak performance.

“The fear of failure also drives me,” Antetokounmpo said. “Since I got to the league and ever since I understood I can be a good player, I don’t want to mess up.

“I take everything day by day, but if I had to guess, five years from now, I want to be a guy who helps his team win and play an all-around game.”