It’s been a summer of change for NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The two-time MVP had found a home in Milwaukee ever since the Bucks drafted the unknown (at the time) teenager from Greece’s second division back in 2013. He captured the hearts of fans across the world with his real-life “rags-to-riches” story upon arriving in America, finding joy in many of the things people take for granted, and integrating himself into the local community. He transformed his physique and his game every season, thanks to his relentless work ethic, which helped him lead the Bucks to the ultimate prize in basketball: an NBA championship. However, after capturing the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2021, things progressively went downhill for his squad. Injuries and departures of key players, such as Jrue Holiday, took the Bucks from the top of the NBA world, to a team that went 32-50 last season.
A consistent pattern of bad decision making from management led to an outcome that Milwaukee residents prayed would never arise: Giannis left the Bucks. He was traded to the Miami Heat, shifting the power balance of the league while also turning his life upside down. A new city, new teammates, a new system, but one thing has remained the same: Giannis remains Giannis. Whoever came up with the saying “never meet your heroes” must have never met Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even at the peak of his superstardom, he maintains a level of humour and relatability that makes him feel like one of us.
I caught up with him in Paris at the Esports World Cup. When I arrived, he was deep in conversation with Magnus Carlsen—the GOAT chess player—and it was easy to see how authentic the connection between the two legends really was. Shortly after that, he took the time to meet with hundreds of fans who had queued up patiently to meet the 10-time All-Star. He returned to sit down for our interview, beginning the conversation by complimenting my t-shirt, a collaboration between designer Warren Lotas and the Miami Heat, before I informed him that I’m actually a Boston Celtics fan. Our conversation about the Celtics, a team Antetokounmpo was rumoured to be joining, will stay off the record for now.
Giannis’ appearance at the Esports World Cup was not random. He’s been strategic with his brand partnerships, working with big-hitters such as Google, WhatsApp, Nike and more, and on the morning of his appearance, he announced a new partnership with PlayStation. We started by discussing video games. Giannis has been the cover star for NBA 2K, been featured inside EA’s FC franchise, and even had a skin in the Fortnite store. It was no surprise that a man with as many endorsements as Giannis couldn’t recall whether or not he’d been a character in Call of Duty when I asked what other games he’d like to be a part of. But the stars may be aligning for his next video game appearance. “GTA, bro. For sure… Isn’t the GTA that’s coming out in Miami? Maybe I’ll be like a character in the game.”
Video games are the perfect outlet for a true competitor like Giannis, but it’s not just video games that he wants to compete in. He learnt chess while growing up, and given that we were in Paris, home to Victor Wembanyama—a fellow NBA superstar who’s also an avid chess player—Giannis didn’t shy away from the competition. “I would love to [play him], actually,” he says. “Maybe after all of this I’ll reach out to him. I’m not going to call him out, though, because I actually like him.” There’s a healthy respect between two of the premier players in the NBA right now, but even without ‘calling him out’, Giannis had no plans of ducking the smoke: “Victor, I heard that you play chess; I think I saw some clips online. Maybe if there’s an opportunity in the off-season, or maybe during the season, if you want, I would like to play against you. We’ll see what happens.”
I wanted to see if that competitiveness carried over to the football world. I’d seen Giannis make appearances at PSG and Inter Milan, while also expressing his love for Arsenal and Real Madrid. I told him that, being from the UK, it’s serious business to be loyal to one club, especially since he’s a part owner of Chelsea FC’s women’s team. “Ooooh! Oh man, oh man.” The pressure was applied. “I gotta say, London is blue, right?” Did he say that because he was in the presence of a Chelsea fan? Did he say it to protect his investment in Chelsea? Either way, it doesn’t matter—you heard the man: London is blue!
Arsenal fans can, however, take some solace in the story he followed that statement up with. “Growing up, my favourite player and a guy that I looked up to was Thierry Henry, who played for Arsenal. Me and my father, we connected and bonded just watching Arsenal games. So I’d probably say I’m more Arsenal than Madrid.”
Giannis’ knowledge of the UK music scene isn’t quite as deep as his Premier League knowledge, though. When I asked him which UK artists have made it onto his playlist, he only had two names: “Stormzy, I like him! And I like the other guy, the guy that had the single with Drake, ‘Which One?’, Central Cee. I like him too.” So whilst the UK music scene still has ways to go before reaching the ears of the NBA’s best, it is further proof that the ‘Drake stimulus package’ remains undefeated.
From music, the conversation shifted to fashion, and more specifically, sneakers: “Man, it’s incredible seeing fans wearing my shoe or holding my shoe. It’s an insane feeling that never gets old. I’m very fortunate, from where I started to now having the opportunity to be with Nike for a decade-plus, having 8 signature shoes—actually, I have 13 because of the Immortalities.”
The Giannis Freak sneaker line continues to be popular amongst fans, with the 8th edition having dropped this summer, while the Immortality line serves as a more affordable alternative. “13 shoes with Nike, it’s been an incredible journey, hopefully way more. I think I created one of the best shoes in my signature line, so I’m excited to see what people think and I’m excited to see what’s coming next.”
Giannis will be wearing the Freak 8s as a new journey begins for him at the Kaseya Center in Miami when the upcoming NBA season gets underway. His first challenge will be a clash against the Minnesota Timberwolves, led by Anthony Edwards—the face of Adidas Basketball—who recently went viral for his “We don’t f*ck with Nike” freestyle while on tour in the Philippines promoting one of his own sneakers.
Giannis seems confident and ready for every challenge that awaits him this season, and is extremely excited to get in the gym with his new squad. He’s been getting to know his teammates in the Miami Heat players’ group chat. “The funniest person so far was Bam [Adebayo],” he admits. “I know Bobby [Portis] is funny because I’ve been teammates with him for many years. I think Andrew Wiggins is secretly funny, because he’s so quiet but now and then just cracks some jokes… and then, I think I’m funny.” Humour and joy are consistent themes in everything Giannis does, unless you’re going up against him on the court.
I ended the interview by wishing him the best of luck for the season, except when he goes up against my Boston Celtics. “Ahhh! Nah, nah, nah—stop it, man, I gotta get buckets!” Behind all the jokes and charm, though, Giannis is all about winning. Whether that’s on the court, on the chessboard, on a games console or in the boardroom, he has the mindset that only the true greats possess. If you haven’t yet learnt about his life story, it’s one of the most inspiring journeys you’ll ever hear. The best part is, the story is still being written, and there’s still a long way to go.
