Milwaukee Bucks of America basketball sensation, Giannis Adetokunbo (Antetokounmpo) is relishing the official presentation of Greek citizenship to his mother, Veronica, and youngest brother, Alex, saying it makes him feel more at home in the European country.
The development marks a double dose of celebrations for the Nigerian-born Greece international, as Alex Antetokounmpo is also on the verge of joining his three older brothers in USA’s National Basketball Association (NBA).
It was only this past Friday that reports out of God’s Own Country indicated that Alex is set to dump Spain for a switch to the NBA, where he could end up lining out for Toronto Raptors of Canada, who have Nigeria ex-international, Masai Ujiri as their current president.
Megasportsarena.com reports that it puts him on course to become the fourth Antetokounmpo to seek an NBA title, after Kostas won it two years ago with Los Angeles Lakers , while Giannis and Thanasis got it this past season with Milwaukee.
For now, though, Giannis, who is fondly called ‘The Greek Freak’ and was back-to-back most valuable player in the NBA before the past season, is relishing news about the citizenship status granted his mum and kid brother in the European island nation he represents with glee.
Only last month, Giannis visited the Greek capital, Athens, with his brother and Bucks teammate, Thanasis, in celebrating their NBA championship conquest, but he was back there on Thursday to watch his mother and youngest sibling get their citizenship.
The two-time-MVP, who was drafted by The Bucks in 2013 and two months back led the Milwaukee-based team to their first NBA title since 1971, attended the ceremony for his mum and kid brother at the residence of Greek’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
A report by Ryan Young added: Giannis Antetokounmpo made the trek to Athens on Thursday to stand beside his mother and youngest brother as they were officially granted Greek citizenship.
Giannis was with his mother, Veronica, and brother, Alex, at the official residence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday for the ceremony.
The Milwaukee Bucks star was born in Athens, though his parents were born in Nigeria and immigrated to the country before he and his siblings were born.
Giannis became a Greek citizen in 2013, which allowed him to join the NBA and the Bucks — who selected him with the No. 15 overall pick that year in the draft.
Giannis is one of five brothers, all but one of whom were born in Greece. His eldest brother, Francis, was born in Nigeria before the family moved to Europe.
Antetokounmpo, who earlier this year led his team to their first NBA Championship since 1971, attended the ceremony for Veronica and Alex Antetokounmpo at the residence of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Giannis, the son of Nigerian immigrants, was born in Athens and received his own Greek citizenship in 2013. He traveled to the U.S., where he was selected by the Bucks in that year’s NBA draft.
Thanasis, the second son, just signed a new two-year deal with the Bucks. Kostas, who is also younger than Giannis, last played for the Los Angeles Lakers and has reportedly signed a deal with Olympiacos in Greece.
Alex, the youngest brother, signed a deal to play in Spain and the trip to Greece is the second that Giannis has made in the past two months.
He flew home in August with the NBA championship trophy following the Bucks’ win in the NBA Finals — which was the franchise’s first in 50 years.
Giannis told The Associated Press: “We always felt Greek, but now we have an official stamp and we are happy. Alex and my mom are Greek citizens now.”
