What is Giannis Antetokounmpo’s net worth?
Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known as “the Greek freak”, is a professional basketball player from Greece with a net worth of $70 million.
He is one of the highest-paid players in the NBA, earning an annual salary of $45 million. Antetokounmpo has achieved numerous accolades throughout his career, including being the first NBA player to finish a regular season in the top 20 in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals.
He also won back-to-back NBA MVP Awards in 2019 and 2020 and led the Bucks to their first NBA championship title in 50 years in 2021.
Early Life and Background
Giannis Antetokounmpo was born in Athens, Greece on December 6, 1994 to Nigerian immigrants who struggled to find work. To help his family financially, Antetokounmpo and his brother sold handbags, watches, and sunglasses on the streets. He started playing basketball in 2007, but was unable to travel outside of Greece due to his lack of citizenship. He eventually gained Greek citizenship in May 2013, just before the NBA draft, and also holds Nigerian citizenship.
Career Beginnings
Antetokounmpo began his professional career in 2011, playing for the senior men’s team of the Greek B Basket League’s Filathlitikos. The following year, he signed a four-year deal with Spain’s CAI Zaragoza.
Antetokounmpo’s NBA Career
In the 2013 NBA draft, Antetokounmpo was selected 15th overall in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks. At 18 years old, he made his debut, becoming one of the youngest NBA players ever. During his rookie season, he averaged 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds, earning him a spot on the 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie second team.
The following season, Antetokounmpo’s success increased as he recorded career-highs of 27 points and 15 rebounds in a game against the Rockets. He continued to improve in the 2015-16 season, averaging nearly 17 points per game and recording a new career-high of 33 points in a game against the Cavaliers. He also achieved his first triple-double with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a victory over the Lakers.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Endorsement and Contract Deals
Giannis has a shoe endorsement deal with Nike and several other significant endorsement deals. He signed a “long-term” endorsement contract with Nike in November 2017 and earns at least $10 million per year from endorsements. Between June 2017 and June 2018, Giannis earned $35 million from salary and endorsements, and between June 2018 and June 2019, he earned $43 million.
In September 2016, Giannis signed a four-year $100 million contract with the Bucks. On December 15, 2020, he signed a five-year $228 million contract extension with the Bucks, which was the largest contract in NBA history at the time of signing. The deal pays an average annual salary of $45 million, and when you include the final year of his previous contract, Giannis will earn $256 million over six seasons.
Breakout Season for Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo agreed to a $100 million, four-year contract extension with the Bucks in September of 2016. He went on to have his breakout season, recording a career-high 39 points in December and making his first game-winning buzzer beater in January. Antetokounmpo became the first-ever Greek NBA All-Star and led the Bucks to an Eastern Conference-best record of 14-4 in March. He also led the team in each of the five major statistical categories for the regular season and became the first NBA player in history to finish in the top 20 in the league in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals.
Antetokounmpo began the 2017-18 season with a bang, recording 175 points over the first five games of the season alone. He set a new career-high 44 points in a win over the Trail Blazers and averaged nearly 27 points during the season. The Bucks faced the Celtics in the first-round playoff series and were ultimately eliminated in seven games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s NBA Success
Giannis Antetokounmpo has had a successful career in the NBA, beginning with his selection by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2013 draft. In the 2018-19 season, Antetokounmpo helped lead the Bucks to a 60-22 record, the best in the league. He was named the 2019 NBA MVP and repeated the honor the following year. In December 2020, Antetokounmpo signed a $228 million, five-year contract extension with the Bucks. He helped lead the team to their first NBA championship title in 47 years, earning unanimous NBA Finals MVP honors.
Antetokounmpo’s International Basketball Career
Antetokounmpo has represented Greece on the world sports stage, playing for the Greek Under-20 national team at the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship in 2013 and for the senior men’s Greek national basketball team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2014. He continued to play for the Greek national team in EuroBasket 2015, the Turin FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2016, and the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2019.
Family and Philanthropy
Antetokounmpo and his girlfriend Mariah Riddlesprigger have a son named Liam Charles. They reside in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where most of his family relocated to in early 2014.
In 2020, Antetokounmpo and his family donated 20,000 masks to people in Athens and Zografou, Greece to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
