Giannis Antetokounmpo is a devout Greek Orthodox Christian. He was baptized at the Agios Meletios Greek Orthodox Church in Athens and regularly credits his faith for grounding him. Famously saying after winning his first NBA Most Valuable Player award, “I want to thank God for blessing me with this amazing talent”.
Quick Profile: Giannis Antetokounmpo
| Full Name | Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo |
| Date of Birth | December 6, 1994 |
| Nationality | Greek (born in Athens to Nigerian parents) |
| Position | Forward |
| Height | 211 cm (6 ft 11 in) |
| Weight | 110 kg (243 lb) |
| Current Team | Milwaukee Bucks (2013–present) |
| Religion | Greek Orthodox Christian |
What Religion is Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Giannis Antetokounmpo was raised in the Greek Orthodox faith and has consistently identified as a devout member of the Orthodox Christian Church. In October 2012 (on Greece’s national “OXI Day”), he and his brother were baptized at Athens’s Agios Meletios Church.
He attended Sunday school there as a child and often publicly acknowledges God. For example, after winning the 2019 NBA MVP he tearfully thanked “God for blessing me with this amazing talent… Everything I do, I do it for Him”. He has also spoken about his strong faith with his mother, noting that “Family always comes first” and that daily prayers with family keep him grounded.
Early Life
Giannis was born in the Sepolia neighborhood of Athens in 1994, the son of Nigerian immigrants Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo. His family struggled financially, and as a child Giannis and his brothers sold items on Athens streets (watches, glasses, DVDs and the like) to help support the household. He started playing basketball at about age 13 with the youth teams of Filathlitikos in Athens. Even while living in poverty, his family remained close-knit and faithful, he often helped at church events and Sunday school. He did not obtain Greek citizenship until 2013 (at age 18) even though he was born in Athens. After high school, he spent one professional season (2012–13) with Filathlitikos in Greece before entering the 2013 NBA Draft.
Career Highlights
Antetokounmpo was selected 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2013 NBA Draft. He steadily improved each season, earning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in 2017. Over the next several years he became a superstar for Milwaukee. He was named NBA Most Valuable Player two years in a row (2019 and 2020).
In 2020 he also won Defensive Player of the Year, becoming one of only three players in history to earn MVP and DPOY in the same season. In 2021 he led the Bucks to their first NBA title in 50 years, putting up 50 points in the clinching Game 6 of the Finals and earning Finals MVP honors. Throughout his career he has been a perennial All-Star and All-NBA selection. For example, he has seven First-Team All-NBA honors (2019–2025) and has been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team four times (2019–2022). In the 2022–2023 season he set a career scoring high (31.1 points per game) and became one of only three players ever to average 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ assists in a season. Antetokounmpo remains the Bucks’ franchise cornerstone and in 2023 signed a new three-year, $186 million extension with Milwaukee.
Personal Life
Giannis is known for keeping his personal life relatively private, but it is public that he is very family-oriented. He married longtime partner Mariah Riddlesprigger in 2024, and they now have four young children together (sons Liam Charles, born 2020, and Maverick, born 2021; daughter Eva, born 2023; and newborn daughter Aria, born 2025).
He often speaks of his close bond with his parents and brothers. His mother, Veronica, regularly attends Bucks games, and Giannis has said his family’s support means everything to him. He has credited his mother and faith for keeping him grounded, saying the family has been “our foundation” throughout his journey. Despite superstardom, Giannis maintains a humble, approachable image, for instance, when a restaurant in Milwaukee once failed to recognize him, he shrugged it off, later tweeting “I did not find it a big deal… They are good people”. He takes pride in his Greek heritage (the family’s roots are often in the news) and even enrolls his children in Greek language school.
Awards and Honors
- NBA Most Valuable Player (2×): 2019 and 2020.
- NBA Champion (1×): 2021 (Milwaukee Bucks), Finals MVP 2021.
- Defensive Player of the Year (1×): 2020.
- NBA All-Star (9×): 2017–2025, including All-Star Game MVP in 2021.
- All-NBA First Team (7×): 2019–2025 (plus two Second Team selections in 2017, 2018).
- NBA All-Defensive First Team (4×): 2019–2022 (also one Second Team in 2017).
- NBA Most Improved Player: 2017
- Other Honors: 2014 All-Rookie Second Team; named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team (2021).
Endorsements and Earnings
Giannis commands one of the richest contracts in sports. He signed a five-year, $228.2 million supermax extension in 2020, and in October 2023 agreed to another three-year, $186 million extension with Milwaukee.
Forbes estimated his 2025 income at about $99.1 million (approximately $54.1 million in salary and $45 million in endorsements). He has lucrative sponsorship deals with global brands notably Nike’s Jordan Brand, JBL (electronics), and Budweiser in the U.S., as well as Huggies (baby products). He also has endorsement relationships in Greece, including with the Sarantis cosmetics group and the Protergia energy company. In recent years he has begun diversifying off the court, he invested in the women’s basketball league Unrivaled and a sports-tech startup, ScorePlay, and even launched his own venture-capital fund in 2024.
Trivia
- He earned the nickname “Greek Freak” early in his career because of his rare combination of size and skill. He has said he is proud to represent Greece.
- All of his younger brothers are basketball players. He and brother Thanasis won an NBA championship together in 2021 (both with the Bucks), and brother Kostas won a title with the L.A. Lakers in 2020.
- As a child he famously sold DVDs and baseball cards on the street to help his family survive.
- His first son (born 2020) is named Liam Charles in honor of Giannis’s late father, Charles.
Giannis was born and raised in Greece, he has Nigerian heritage through his parents. He was granted Greek citizenship only in 2013 (shortly before the NBA draft) and has since represented Greece in international basketball competitions. He was also honored in 2021 by being named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People.
