GIANNIS Antetokounmpo has undergone an intense body transformation on his journey to reach basketball’s biggest stage.
The 28-year-old NBA superstar endured an impressive body transformation to rise to fame over the years, going from a 6-foot-9 190-pound rookie to a 7-foot All-NBA force that now weighs more than 240 pounds.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo underwent an incredible body transformationCredit: Getty
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Giannis Antetokounmpo is now entering his 11th NBA seasonCredit: Getty
Giannis grew up to Nigerian parents in an athletic household in Greece. His father played soccer, and his mother was a high jumper.
He spent his childhood focusing on basketball with his brothers.
Giannis excelled in semi-pro leagues during high school while playing in Greece’s B league.
He declared for the NBA draft in 2013 as an unknown prospect to most fans and even some high-level NBA officials.
At the time, San Antonio Spurs legendary coach Gregg Popovich said: “I didn’t know who the hell he was.”
The Milwaukee Bucks selected the skinny 18-year-old with the No. 15 pick in the 2013 NBA draft.
He quickly improved after his rookie season and took the NBA by storm.
Giannis won the Most Improved Player award in 2017.
Two seasons later, he was selected for league MVP in 2019 and 2020 as well as taking home Defensive Player of the Year.
He won an NBA championship in 2021 and has had a highly decorated career as a seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-Defense, and a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.
Nicknamed the Greek Freak, Giannis is now entering his 11th year in the NBA and looks entirely unrecognizable from his rookie year.
Former Bucks assistant and current Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham described his work ethic and how he became the player he is today.
“He has a gene in him, man, of never wanting to settle, never wanting to quit, never wanting anyone to be able to say he’s not good enough, never wanting to miss an opportunity because he didn’t go after it hard enough.
“Being around him — I saw it in Kobe, I’ve seen it in Ben Wallace, I’ve seen all these great guys who just are world beaters and have overcome all different types of odds on and off the court,” Ham said.
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The Bucks selected him in the 2013 NBA draftCredit: Getty
