Where did Giannis Antetokounmpo play before he joined NBA? Tracking the meteoric rise of the Greek Freak
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the NBA. He's a force to be reckoned with and is already an all-time great player. The Greek Freak led his Milwaukee Bucks to the championship in 2021 and is ready to do so once again.
While Antetokounmpo is enjoying his status as an all-time great athlete, his journey has been extremely tough. The Bucks superstar was born to immigrant parents in Greece and did not even have Greek citizenship for almost two decades.
This article will reveal the journey Giannis Antetokounmpo had before joining the NBA. His career in the world's most prestigious basketball league is well documented, but a lot of fans don't know what team he played for before moving to the United States.
Giannis Antetokounmpo played in Greece before the NBA
Before the Milwaukee Bucks, Antetokounmpo played for Filathlitikos B.C. in Athens, Greece. The team hasn't achieved a lot of success, but it's well known because of the Antetokounmpo brothers as they all played for it.
This is a semi-professional team in Greece's B Basket League. Essentially, this league is the third-tier level of the basketball league system in Greece.
Antetokounmpo wasn't exactly a superstar in Greece, although he had decent performances. The 6-foot-11 forward averaged 9.5 points, five rebounds and 1.4 assists. He also recorded one block per game.
The Greek Freak played 22.5 minutes per game and converted 62.5% of his two-point shots. He was selected to participate in the 2013 Greek All-Star Game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared in 26 games in the 2012-13 season and scored 23 points on 60% shooting in his best game. In his last game in Europe, the forward scored four points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out three assists.
Antetokounmpo in the NBA
Giannis Antetokounmpo played his last game in Europe on April 27, 2013. A day later, he declared for the 2013 NBA draft where he hoped to become a star one day.
Before entering the prestigious basketball league, the young forward was 6-10 and weighed 205 pounds. His huge hands and remarkable 7-3 wingspan made him a very popular prospect.
One of the biggest concerns NBA scouts had regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo was the level of competition he faced before the draft. He was also too skinny and lacked explosiveness.
The Milwaukee Bucks took their chances with Antetokounmpo with the 15th overall pick. During his rookie campaign, Antetokounmpo mostly played off the bench and averaged 6.8 points.
However, he increased his numbers across the board and became a starter in his second year in the NBA. In the third year, he established himself as one of the best defenders.
Antetokounmpo won the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year award in the 2016-17 season and became an amazing two-way player. He won back-to-back MVP awards as well in 2019 and 2020. He was also named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2020.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's biggest accomplishment was leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA championship in 2021. In the ongoing season, he leads the league in scoring (36 points), and the Bucks are one of the favorites to win it all once again.