Watch: Giannis Antetokounmpo surprises entire Greece basketball squad ahead of Paris Olympics with signature 'Freak 6' shoes
The Greek men's basketball team will have a chance for Olympic glory, and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to play a huge role in its quest for the gold medal. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, Giannis is doing his best to motivate his squad.
The Milwaukee Bucks superstar handed out sneakers to his Greek teammates, posting a video to his X account.
The shoes that Giannis Antetokounmpo handed out are his signature Nike sneakers. Specifically, he gave each of them a pair of the Nike Freak 6 in the Roses colorway.
The Freak 6 is yet to hit retail stores. It will become available on Aug. 16 with a price tag of $150.
Initially, it will have two colorways.
The Roses edition features a pinkish colorway with embroidered roses as well as the words "I Am My Father's Legacy" stitched to the insole. This can be seen at the end of the clip of Giannis handing out the shoes.
The other colorway is known as the Naija. This features a black and green color palette along with the word "Freaky" printed on the bottom. The word "Naija" appears to be a tribute to Giannis' Nigerian roots.
While Giannis Antetokounmpo's Freak 6 only has two colorways now, expect more designs to become available in the same way that the Freak 5 gradually dropped new colorways.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the flag bearer for Greece at the Paris Olympics' opening ceremony
The 2024 Paris Olympics will be a big one for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Not only is this his Olympic debut, but he was also selected as his nation's flagbearer.
Aside from the Greek Freak, two other NBA stars were selected by their nations to be flag bearers. One is the German basketball team's captain and FIBA World Cup 2023 MVP Dennis Schroder. The third is none other than the four-time NBA MVP and four-time champion LeBron James, who will be Team USA's flagbearer.
While this is Giannis' first time at the Olympics, it isn't his first time playing in an international competition. He played for Greece in the 2014 and 2019 FIBA World Cup. He was unable to take part in the 2023 FIBA World Cup as he dealt with injuries.
Giannis expressed his disappointment at not being able to participate in that event through a lengthy X post.
This past NBA playoffs, Giannis Antetokoumpo dealt with a strained calf. This, along with Damian Lillard's injury, led to the Bucks being eliminated in the first round by the Indiana Pacers.
Unlike in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Giannis has bounced back from his injury and is ready to help the Greek squad at the 2024 Olympics.