Giannis Antetokounmpo has always shared a strong relationship with his family, particularly with his late father, Charles Antetokounmpo, and mother, Veronica Antetokounmpo.

After growing up in Nigeria, Charles and Veronica (commonly known as Vera) moved to Athens, Greece, in 1991. Together, they produced five children; Francis, the eldest, was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and lived there with his grandparents following his parents’ relocation to Greece. Alex, Giannis, Kostas, and Thanasis, their four youngest kids, were raised in Athens. Giannis received Greek citizenship in May 2013, just before he was selected in the NBA draft, after they had been without citizenship for a long time. After receiving their visas in 2014, his younger brothers, who were 11 and 14 at the time, and their parents followed in 2014; his older brother Thanasis relocated to the United States to play in the NBA’s D-League that same year.

Because of their talent and close-knit community, the Antetokounmpos were the focus of the Disney+ movie Rise in 2022.

“Ever since our time together, I have put my trust in my children’s abilities, knowing that eventually everything will work out. But, as I watched them grow up—playing, traveling the world, winning championships, and all—I thought, ‘This is going to take us to a greater place in the future.'” Veronica said this to Yahoo! Sports. And thus, here is our current situation. We truly are extraordinary.”

The other four boys in the family were drafted into the NBA; Veronica was a high jumper, and Charles and Francis were professional soccer players. The family is full of dedicated athletes. Known by many as the “Greek Freak,” Giannis is regarded as one of the NBA’s top power forwards.

“The experience has been incredible,” he said to The Red Bulletin. “My dream was more real to my parents than it was to me.”

A few years before Giannis won NBA MVP Awards in 2019 and 2020 and three of his sons won titles, Charles passed away in September 2017 at the age of 54 from a heart attack. (In 2020, Kostas won with the Los Angeles Lakers; in 2021, Giannis and Thanasis won with the Milwaukee Bucks.)

It’s difficult. Two weeks following his father’s passing, Giannis told NBA.com, “Losing someone you love is tough.” “Losing a person who has been there from the beginning. Particularly for our family, as we are quite tight.

Veronica is a regular at NBA games and has maintained her relationship with her sons. Giannis stated to TIME in 2017 that “she’s been a colleague right next to me.”

Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo: who are they? Everything you need to know about NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo’s parents and their relationship is provided here.

They share five sons

Charles and Veronica are parents to four other kids: Alex, Thanasis, Kostas, and Giannis.

All but Francis of the Antetokounmpo brothers were selected by the NBA. But Francis was a professional soccer player in Greece. Additionally, three have won NBA championships: Thanasis and Giannis with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021; Kostas with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. The 2022 Disney+ biopic Rise drew inspiration from the brothers’ remarkable athletic achievements, their distinct rise to fame, and their strong relationship.

It’s not only about me in the film. Giannis stated to the New York Post in 2022, “It’s about the sacrifice that my parents made early in their lives in order for us to be in the position that we are today.”

Additionally, Veronica and Charles are grandparents. Giannis and his partner, Mariah Riddlesprigger, are parents to two sons, Maverick Shai and Liam Charles, and are expecting a third child. Veronica described the birth of her first grandchild in 2020 as a “special gift” to Milwaukee’s WISN 12 News.The Story of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Three Children: Liam, Maverick, and Eva

They immigrated to Greece, where Giannis was born, in 1991

In 1991, Charles and Veronica relocated to the Sepolia district of Athens from their home in Lagos, Nigeria. The other four Antetokounmpo boys were born and reared in Athens, but their firstborn son, Francis, stayed in Lagos with his grandparents.

The couple, who were undocumented immigrants, had difficulty obtaining consistent employment and had to juggle odd jobs and manual labor to make ends meet. Giannis said to TIME that they “had to hustle every day to provide a plate of food on our table” and that living in Athens was “a daily struggle.”

Giannis and Thanasis used to sell things on the streets to augment their parents’ salaries until 2012. Giannis recalled to The New York Times that Charles and Veronica slept in a small den behind “a curtain,” while their four sons shared a bed.

Giannis said to ESPN in 2018 that “those moments back then, they were beautiful, man.” It’s incredible to overcome hardship, emerge stronger, and witness your family’s current success. I’m glad I experienced those moments, since I can still recall them.

Junior club coach Spiros Velliniatis promised Charles and Veronica he would get them employment by paying them 800 euros a month to entice 13-year-old Giannis to join the semi-pro team Filathlitikos, according to The New York Times. Velliniatis remarked, “I knew that basketball wasn’t important to Nigerians.” “Soccer is important to them. It’s necessary to buy off the parents. They won’t be interested if it’s not.

Veronica spoke to her children in her native language, Igbo

Giannis and his brothers maintained ties to their Nigerian heritage, even though they were raised in Greece.

“My family is from Nigeria,” Giannis said to Andscape. “I attended school in Greece and was born there, of course. However, when I return home at the end of the day, Greek culture is absent. It is an unadulterated Nigerian culture. It’s about morality, discipline, and deference to authority.”

Veronica conversed with her sons in Igbo, one of Nigeria’s four official languages, at home. Charles was raised speaking one of the more than 500 languages and dialects spoken in Nigeria.

Giannis obtained a Nigerian passport in 2015. It’s crucial. It makes me who I am. My parents are from Nigeria. They wanted me to comprehend it. He told the newspaper, “I got it because I wanted it.”

In the summer of 2023, the NBA star traveled to Nigeria with his mother.

They were both athletes

The Antetokounmpo boys were raised in an athletic household; Veronica was a high jump competitor, and Charles was a professional soccer player.

Charles used his soccer abilities to help his boys develop their basketball talents, especially by training footwork, even though he hoped they would all follow in his footsteps. Giannis led his brothers both on and off the court, something that particularly pleased Charles about him.

The father of five told the National Basketball Players Association of Giannis in 2016 that “the way that he mentors all of his brothers is amazing.” “He’ll go above and beyond for them. To make sure kids have everything they require, he will stop at nothing. He imparts lessons to kids on life, basketball, and priorities. Seeing all that I am teaching Giannis and how he is teaching them is truly wonderful.

Charles died in 2017

 

On September 29, 2017, Giannis’s father passed away in Milwaukee after a heart attack. 54 was his age.

Giannis and his whole family, including Veronica, whom he described as “strong” and “a beast,” took to the basketball court at the Bucks’ downtown headquarters on the day of Charles’ passing to express their sorrow.

Giannis told NBA.com, “There was never a day in my life that I called him and he wasn’t there for me.” “I could ask him to grab me some food while I’m being lazy and lounging on the couch. And all he would say was, “Yeah, yeah, I’ll take care of it.” Ever there at the game, he hasn’t missed one since the day he arrived. And he felt content. Very joyful. For every child.

Giannis stated shortly after his father’s passing that it was “okay to be sad” as long as the family supported one another during their grieving process.

“We cherished our father. My mother cherished her spouse. Ultimately, though, I believe he fulfilled his destiny in this life,” he remarked. “He reared us well, having five children. That is the most crucial factor. When I pass away, I aim to have the same influence on my children as my father is now having.

Giannis posted a vintage image of himself with his father in 2019 and wrote, “Happy Father’s Day! I sincerely miss you. ❤️

Three years later, Giannis and his family established the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation, a “global social impact foundation” with the goal of assisting youth, widows, athletes, immigrants, and refugees by funding groups like the International Rescue Committee and the Milwaukee Diaper Mission.

Giannis honored both parents in his MVP Award speech

Two years following the passing of his father, Giannis was voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2019. He honored both of his parents in an emotional speech he delivered on stage.

“I’d like to thank my father. You are aware, of course, that my father is not present,” he remarked. “I was going to be the top player in the league; that was my mental aim two years ago. I will stop at nothing to ensure that my team wins, and I will take home the MVP award. I always think of my dad when I walk on the floor, which inspires me to work harder and advance in my game.

Giannis also praised his mother as his “hero” and congratulated his brothers.

“You cannot glimpse the future when you are a small child. He said, “If your parents are good, they see the future for you.” She never lacked faith in us and always saw the future in us. She was our constant companion. She is our family’s cornerstone. My real idol is you.”

They moved to Milwaukee in 2014

2013 saw the Milwaukee Bucks select Giannis. The following year, after a protracted and challenging process to obtain their visas, his family arrived in Wisconsin to join him.

According to an excerpt from Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP by author Mirin Fader, Giannis felt “lonely,” “homesick,” and “lost” during his rookie season. The New York Times published this article.

He informed his family in November 2013 that he would go back to Greece if they were unable to go to the United States.

“Although I was raised with my family, I am a very independent and resilient child. However, I was aware that I had to go in search of a brighter future,” he told the NBPA. “I used to constantly use Skype to talk to my family and show them around the apartment, saying things like, ‘Alex, Kostas, this is your bedroom.'” “Mom, this is your and dad’s bedroom,” I said. Our living room is this. We use this as our kitchen. And I could see my mother’s expression in her eyes. “Perhaps one day we’ll be able to be there with you,” she said. I was about to lose it, but the Bucks came through for me by bringing my family.”

Giannis, Kostas, and Alex shared a Milwaukee apartment a few years into Giannis’s career before Kostas moved to the University of Dayton. Before Veronica moved upstairs following the death of her husband, their parents shared a downtown apartment building, one level below. Since then, Giannis and Riddlespringer and their children have relocated to the Milwaukee suburbs, as reported by GQ.

Their last name was not originally Antetokounmpo

The family’s native Yoruba surname is Adétòkunbọ̀, even though they are recognized by the name Antetokounmpo. After his given name appeared on his Greek passport misspelled, Giannis took on the surname Antetokounmpo. In the end, according to Andscape, the whole family took on the new last name.

In WhatsApp’s original digital short “The Game of Adétòkunbọ̀” from February 2023, Giannis discussed his family’s lesser-known Nigerian name with comedian Hasan Minhaj.

Giannis explained that his given name “means everything” to him, saying, “I am who I am because I am a Nigerian born and raised in Greece. I hope my children will be able to be as proud of where they came from as I am.

They helped Giannis adjust to adulthood after he joined the NBA

After her husband’s passing, Veronica remained a fixture in the stadium, and Charles made sure to attend most of Giannis’ games. Giannis’ parents assisted him when he first entered the league at the age of eighteen by “paying the bills, driving me to the airport—simple things like that.”

“My dad is giving me basketball advice. He said to the NBPA, “My mother is taking care of everything else. “My mom would get an MVP trophy if you could give one.”

Veronica stays up to date on everything Giannis, particularly any rumors circulating on social media. Giannis said in 2022 on SiriusXM’s The Starting Lineup that he attempted to stay away from internet rumors because he knew he would eventually hear them from his mother, who spends “all day on Facebook,” his partner, or his teammates.

“She is an expert in everything. You know, she’s my biggest admirer—or, as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel put it, my stalker,” he jokingly said. “She’s my mother.”

They didn’t have friends in Greece due to fear of deportation

Giannis told TIME in 2017 that Charles and Veronica, who were undocumented immigrants, were afraid to make friends outside of their family in Greece because “their friends could tell the cops, ‘Come get them.'” It’s difficult for [my parents] to make acquaintances, even now that they live in Milwaukee. since they haven’t had any friends for 25 years. Gaining someone’s trust is difficult.

Because they were always scared that Charles and Veronica would be deported, the children in Greece were also afraid.

I didn’t have a passport, so they couldn’t deport me. Where would you deport me? Returning to Nigeria? Giannis said this to the publication. “I have a birth certificate, and I was born in Greece. I could not be deported. My parents could be deported, though. As a result, as children, we were terrified that we would wake up one day without our parents. One of the hardest emotions for us as children was that.

His mother advised him to inquire about new acquaintances and to give her their names so she could look them up, even when he was an adult.

He responded, “So she still has that trust issue.” Since we relocated to the United States, I believe things have only gotten better. However, I find it really simple to trust individuals these days.

Though they were afraid of strangers, Charles and Veronica instilled in their children a strong sense of perseverance and faith in a positive outcome.

“My parents would constantly reassure us that everything would work out. Have faith in God; all will work out in the end. We are fortunate. Even being in this position is a blessing, Giannis reflected. “Be patient, believe in yourself, and be patient.”

Veronica received Greek citizenship in 2021

Veronica and her youngest son, Alex, were granted Greek citizenship by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou in September 2021. On September 16, 2021, they were sworn in in the presence of the president and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at his home. Giannis was also there.

Giannis reportedly said to Sakellaropoulou the next day, “It is historic that you are the first woman president of the republic, and thank you for inviting us as a family,” as reported by the Greek daily Kathimerini. “We are Greek by nature, having attended a Greek school, knowing Greek language and culture, and [the citizenship] is merely the formal seal.”

They were the last two Antetokounmpo family members still alive to be granted Greek citizenship. Giannis and Thanasis were awarded citizenship just before Giannis was selected in the 2013 NBA Draft. It was given to Kostas in 2016.

Veronica has a custom basketball purse covered with autographs

Veronica was the center of attention off the court at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago, even though Giannis was the player to watch.

She displayed her personalized basketball pocketbook and was dubbed “the biggest fan of the night” by WISN 12 News amid the capacity audience. Signatures from LeBron James, Chris Middleton, and her son Giannis were all over the unique bag.

Her other four boys were present at the game, which Giannis led the Eastern Conference team in, and she described it as “a very proud moment for me.”

“It’s incredibly enjoyable, fantastic, and I feel incredibly proud,” she remarked of Giannis, who led his team in his second consecutive All-Star Game. “More appropriate than arrogant.”