Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Greek: Θανάσης Αντετοκούνμπο; born July 18, 1992) is a Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the eldest of four brothers who have played in the NBA: Giannis, Kostas, and Alex.

Early life and career Antetokounmpo was born in Athens, Greece, to Nigerian parents. His father, Charles, was a soccer player, and his mother, Veronica, was a track and field athlete. Antetokounmpo started playing basketball at the age of 15. In 2010, he joined the youth team of Filathlitikos Zografou, a Greek basketball club. He played for Filathlitikos Zografou for two seasons, before moving to the United States in 2012 to play for the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Development League.

NBA career Antetokounmpo was drafted by the New York Knicks with the 51st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. He was immediately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he made his NBA debut on October 29, 2014. He played sparingly in his first two seasons with the Bucks, averaging just 1.9 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.

In the 2016–17 season, Antetokounmpo became a regular starter for the Bucks. He averaged 6.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, and helped the Bucks reach the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. In the 2017–18 season, Antetokounmpo continued to improve, averaging 11.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He also helped the Bucks win their first NBA championship in 50 years.

In the 2018–19 season, Antetokounmpo started all 82 games for the Bucks, averaging 12.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He was also named to the All-Defensive Second Team. In the 2019–20 season, Antetokounmpo averaged 10.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He was also named to the All-Defensive Second Team again.

In the 2020–21 season, Antetokounmpo helped the Bucks win their second NBA championship in three years. He averaged 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in the regular season, and 12.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in the playoffs.

Personal life Antetokounmpo is married to Mariah Riddlesprigger. They have two sons together. Antetokounmpo is also a Greek citizen.

Awards and honors

• NBA champion (2021, 2023)
• All-NBA Defensive Second Team (2019, 2020)
• NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2015)