IN PHOTOS: Giannis Antetokounmpo's 2024 All-Star shoes honor his brother Thanasis with a special design
Ahead of the 2023-24 season, Giannis Antetokounmpo's "Nike Zoom Freak 5" was released on July 21, 2023. Interestingly, Nike is bringing back a shoe that he wore during the 2019 NBA All-Star Game. Back then, Antetokounmpo wore Kobe 4s with a red and white colorway, including a writing that said, "Thanasis thanks for sharing" and will now be incorporated in "Giannis Immortality 3."
It's now known as the "All-Star" Zoom Freak 5s.
Originally, the writing on Giannis Antetokounmpo's "Kobe 4" sneakers was meant to be a callback to the time that the seven-time NBA All-Star and his brother were still finding their way to get to the NBA. The saying is a great reminder of the growth they have taken and how far they can go from where they are today.
Meanwhile, the incorporation of the design on the sneakers honors that reminder, as it includes the writing on the shoe's tags at the back. The shoes feature a red and white colorway, similar to the "Kobe 4s" that Giannis Antetokounmpo wore.
Additionally, Antetokounmpo's "All-Star" Zoom Freak 5s shoe line utilizes a mesh of a forefoot and bulbous, cushioned heel counter. The mudguard is also coated with TPU coverage. Moreover, the "All-Star" Zoom Freak 5s will be released on Feb. 16, 2024, ahead of the NBA All-Star Game.
CNN anchor grateful for Giannis Antetokounmpo gifting his game sneakers to his son
On Dec. 27, 2023, CNN anchor Laura Coates went on-air to thank the Milwaukee Bucks star for gifting his son his game sneakers when they faced the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 23, 2023.
"You know they say that, 'you never want to meet your heroes,'" Coates said. "And I've met some of mine and well, I wish I hadn't. But here was my son, standing next to his and Giannis he just saw a kid and remembered what it was like to be one.
"It's funny, because my son woke up with a stark later on that night," Coates added, and he asked me to see the pictures on my phone because my baby boy thought he dreamed it all and you know what, I feel like I did too."
Meeting one's favorite basketball player is a dream come true for a lot of NBA fans, and such was the case for Lisa Coates's son. However, one could say that it was a Christmas miracle when Giannis Antetokounmpo decided to sign his game shoes and the pair to Coates' son after the game.
What made it even better was that it came at a ball game that Antetokounmpo dropped 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to lead his team to a 130-111 victory against the Knicks.