Thanasis Antetokounmpo Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 6 ft 6 in |
Weight | 99 kg |
Date of Birth | July 18, 1992 |
Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Thanasis Antetokounmpo is a Greek professional basketball player who has represented the New York Knicks (2016) and Milwaukee Bucks (2019-Present) in the NBA (National Basketball Association). He has also spent a considerable time in the minor/developmental NBA G League playing for the Delaware 87ers (2013-2014) and the Westchester Knicks (2014-2016). He was included in the NBA G-League ‘All-Defensive Third Team’ in 2014 and the NBA G-League ‘All-Defensive Second Team’ (2015). His greatest success, however, at the franchise level, had come in Greece where he has represented Filathlitikos A.O. Zografou B.C. (FAOZ) (2011-2013) and Panathinaikos B.C. OPAP (2017–2019). With the latter team, he had won the Greek Basket League (GBL) Championship twice (2018, 2019) and the Greek Cup once (2019). For his performances, he was named the Greek Basket League‘s ‘Most Spectacular Player’ in both 2018 and 2019. In both those years, he was included in the league’s annual ‘All-Star Game’ and was named the Greek Basket League ‘MVP’ on each occasion. Between 2016 and 2017, he had also featured for an Andorra-based team called Bà squet Club Andorra S.A. that plays in the Liga ACB in Spain. He had been pivotal in helping the team qualify for the playoffs for the first time in 22 years.
Born Name
Athanasios Rotimi Antetokounmpo
Nick Name
Thanasis, Greek Freak 2, The Greek Streak, The Elevator
Sun Sign
Cancer
Born Place
Athens, Greece
Residence
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Nationality
Occupation
Professional Basketball Player
Family
- Father – Charles Antetokounmpo (Former Professional Soccer Player)Â (d. September 2017)
- Mother – Veronica Antetokounmpo (Former High Jumper)
- Siblings – Francis (Andreas) Antetokounmpo (Older Brother) (Professional Soccer Player), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Younger Brother) (Professional Basketball Player), Kostas Antetokounmpo (Younger Brother) (Professional Basketball Player), Alex Antetokounmpo (Younger Brother) (Professional Basketball Player)
Position
Small Forward
Shirt Number
43 – Milwaukee Bucks, Greece, New York Knicks
Build
Athletic
Height
6 ft 6 in or 198 cm
Weight
99 kg or 218 lbs
Race / Ethnicity
Black
He is of Nigerian (Yoruba, Igbo) descent.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Toned physique
- Towering frame
- Side-cropped, spiked hair
- Affable smile
- Often sports a rugged beard
Thanasis Antetokounmpo Facts
- He was born in Athens, Greece, to Nigerian parents who had emigrated from Lagos just a year before his birth. His parents had left their firstborn son, Francis, back in Nigeria.
- He had not received Greek citizenship until May 2013, as the Greek nationality law abides by the principle of jus sanguinis. He was effectively stateless until then, with no citizenship in either Nigeria or Greece.
- In May 2016, owing to his Nigerian roots, he was named in their senior men’s national team’s training camp preliminary list for the 2016 Rio Olympics. He, however, turned down the offer and chose to represent Greece instead.
- In Greece, his family’s name was Romanized to Antetokounmpo from the original Adetokunbo which roughly translates to ‘The Crown has returned from Overseas’.
- His nickname, The Elevator, was coined by his younger brother Giannis and Greek basketball sportscaster Vangelis Ioannou, during the EuroBasket tournament being played in Helsinki in 2017. His insane jumping ability had led to that nickname.
- In July 2019, when he had signed up with Milwaukee Bucks and joined his younger brother Giannis in the team, they were the 2nd pair of brothers in the Bucks‘ roster after Brook Lopez and Robin Lopez.
Featured Image by Thanasis Antetokounmpo / Instagram