History of Giannis Antetokounmpo in Timeline
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a Greek-Nigerian professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks, is considered one of the greatest players of all time. His unique combination of size, speed, and strength earned him the moniker "Greek Freak." He plays in the NBA and is known for his exceptional abilities as a player.
1968: Wilt Chamberlain's record
In April 2025, Antetokounmpo became the first player in NBA history to have 70 points, 30 rebounds and 30 assists over any 2-game span since Wilt Chamberlain achieved it in 1968.
December 6, 1994: Giannis Antetokounmpo's Birth
On December 6, 1994, Giannis Sina Ugo Antetokounmpo, a Greek-Nigerian professional basketball player, was born. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA and is known as one of the greatest players of all time.
2007: Start of Basketball Career
In 2007, Giannis Antetokounmpo started playing basketball.
2011: Playing in Greek B Basket League
During the 2011-12 season, Giannis Antetokounmpo played with the senior men's team of Filathlitikos in the semi-pro Greek B Basket League (Third Division).
2011: Playing for Filathlitikos Senior Team
In 2011, Giannis Antetokounmpo began playing basketball for the senior team of Filathlitikos in Athens.
October 28, 2012: Baptism in the Greek Orthodox Church
On October 28, 2012, Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brother Alex were baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church.
December 2012: Signing with CAI Zaragoza
In December 2012, a few days after turning 18, Giannis Antetokounmpo signed a four-year deal with Spanish club CAI Zaragoza.
April 28, 2013: Eligibility for NBA Draft
On April 28, 2013, Giannis Antetokounmpo officially made himself eligible for the 2013 NBA draft.
May 9, 2013: Greek Citizenship
On May 9, 2013, Giannis Antetokounmpo was issued Greek citizenship.
July 2013: Represented Greece at the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship
In July 2013, Giannis Antetokounmpo represented Greece for the first time with the Greek Under-20 national team at the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship, helping Greece to an 8–2 record and a fifth-place overall finish.
July 30, 2013: Signing Rookie Contract with the Bucks
On July 30, 2013, Giannis Antetokounmpo signed his rookie scale contract with the Milwaukee Bucks.
October 13, 2013: NBA Debut
On October 13, 2013, Giannis Antetokounmpo made his NBA debut with the Milwaukee Bucks at 18 years old.
2013: NBA Draft and Selection by the Bucks
In 2013, Giannis Antetokounmpo entered the NBA draft and was selected 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks.
2014: Played for the Greek national basketball team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup
In 2014, Giannis Antetokounmpo played for the senior men's Greek national basketball team for the first time, helping Greece finish ninth overall in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup with a 5–1 record.
February 6, 2015: Career-High Points and Rebounds
On February 6, 2015, Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a then career-high 27 points and 15 rebounds in a loss to the Houston Rockets.
2015: Played for the Greek national team at EuroBasket
In 2015, Giannis Antetokounmpo played for the Greek national team at EuroBasket 2015. Greece was unbeaten in the group stages but eventually finished fifth with a 7–1 record.
2015: Nigerian Citizenship
In 2015, Giannis Antetokounmpo received his Nigerian passport, possessing dual citizenship.
2015: Scoring average increase
In the 2015-16 season, Antetokounmpo developed further individually, upping his scoring average to almost 17 points per game.
February 22, 2016: First Career Triple-Double
On February 22, 2016, Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his first career triple-double with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the youngest Buck to achieve this.
July 2016: Military Service in Greece
In July 2016, Giannis and his brother Thanasis began their mandatory military service in Greece, serving a reduced three-month period due to being permanent overseas residents.
September 19, 2016: Contract Extension with the Bucks
On September 19, 2016, Giannis Antetokounmpo agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks.
2016: Played with Greece at the Turin FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament
In 2016, Giannis Antetokounmpo played with Greece at the Turin FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, where he averaged 15.3 points. Greece failed to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics after being eliminated by Croatia.
2016: Leading the Bucks in Five Statistical Categories
In the 2016-17 season, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks in all five major statistical categories.
April 3, 2017: Eastern Conference Player of the Month
On April 3, 2017, Giannis Antetokounmpo was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games played in March.
April 15, 2017: Playoff Career-High
On April 15, 2017, Antetokounmpo scored a then playoff career-high 28 points in a win over the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
September 2017: Death of Charles Antetokounmpo
In September 2017, Giannis Antetokounmpo's father, Charles, passed away at the age of 54. Charles was a Nigerian football player.
2017: Established himself as one of the league's most devastating slashers and transition scorers
By the 2016–17 season, Antetokounmpo had established himself as one of the league's most devastating slashers and transition scorers. A 2017 analysis showed that Antetokounmpo was able to cover slightly more than 15 feet off a single dribble when driving to the basket, 5 feet further than the average player in the league.
2017: NBA Most Improved Player Award
In 2017, Giannis Antetokounmpo received the NBA Most Improved Player award.
2017: High Scoring Start to the Season
In the beginning of the 2017-18 season, Antetokounmpo scored 175 points over the first five games. He earned his second straight All-Star nomination and All-NBA selection, and broke Kareem Abdul Jabbar's franchise record for triple-doubles.
2018: Start of Sustained Team Success
Starting from the 2018-19 season, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks achieved a period of sustained team success.
July 16, 2019: Thanasis Antetokounmpo signs with the Milwaukee Bucks
On July 16, 2019, Thanasis Antetokounmpo signed with the Milwaukee Bucks.
October 24, 2019: Triple-Double in Season-Opening Win
On October 24, 2019, Giannis Antetokounmpo started the 2019–20 season with a triple-double, achieving 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists in a 117–111 victory over the Houston Rockets.
2019: Represented Greece at the FIBA Basketball World Cup
In 2019, Giannis Antetokounmpo represented Greece at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where he became the first reigning NBA MVP to play in a World Cup. Greece finished 11th in the tournament.
2019: NBA All-Star Selection as Captain
In 2019, Giannis Antetokounmpo was selected as an All-Star captain, leading the Eastern Conference in voting.
2019: NBA Most Valuable Player Award
In 2019, Giannis Antetokounmpo won his first NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
January 23, 2020: All-Star Game Captain
On January 23, 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo was named an All-Star Game captain for the second consecutive year, alongside LeBron James.
February 2020: Birth of First Son, Liam
In February 2020, Mariah Riddlesprigger, Giannis Antetokounmpo's partner, gave birth to their first son, Liam.
March 13, 2020: Donation to Fiserv Forum Staff
On March 13, 2020, Antetokounmpo and his family pledged to give $100,000 to the staff of the Fiserv Forum who were unable to work during the suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
September 18, 2020: Second Consecutive MVP Award
On September 18, 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo won his second consecutive Most Valuable Player award, joining Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan as the only players to win MVP and NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season.
December 15, 2020: Re-Signing with the Bucks
On December 15, 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo re-signed with the Bucks, agreeing to a 5-year, $228 million extension, which was the largest in league history.
2020: Won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year
For his defensive efforts, Antetokounmpo won the 2020 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and he has become a perennial NBA All-Defensive honoree.
2020: NBA All-Star Selection as Captain
In 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo was again selected as an All-Star captain, leading the Eastern Conference in voting.
2020: Consecutive NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Awards
In 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo won his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
June 29, 2021: Knee Injury in Eastern Conference Finals
On June 29, 2021, Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his left knee during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks, resulting in a hyperextension. He was ruled out for Games 5 and 6, but MRI results showed no ligament tears.
August 2021: Birth of Second Son, Maverick
In August 2021, Mariah Riddlesprigger gave birth to their second son, Maverick.
August 20, 2021: Minority Owner of Milwaukee Brewers
On August 20, 2021, Antetokounmpo became a minority owner of the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball.
October 19, 2021: Championship Ring and Season-Opening Win
On October 19, 2021, after receiving his first NBA championship ring, Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 32 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists in a 127–104 season-opening win against the Nets.
2021: NBA Championship and Finals MVP
In 2021, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA championship since 1971 and was named Finals MVP.
January 13, 2022: Triple-Double vs. Warriors in Under 30 Minutes
On January 13, 2022, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a 118–99 win over the Golden State Warriors with 30 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, and 3 blocks in less than thirty minutes. He became the first player to record multiple 30-point triple-doubles in 30 minutes and tied Michael Jordan's career mark of 28 triple-doubles.
February 8, 2022: 44 Points Against Lakers
On February 8, 2022, in a 131–116 win against the Lakers, Antetokounmpo scored 44 points with 14 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 blocks. It was his 20th straight game recording at least 25 points.
August 2022: Collaboration on Sustainable Equities Fund
In August 2022, Calamos Advisors announced their collaboration with Giannis Antetokounmpo on an exchange-traded fund that invests in sustainable firms, named the Calamos Antetokounmpo Sustainable Equities Fund.
August 25, 2022: Scored a national team career-high 40 points against Serbia
On August 25, 2022, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a national team career-high 40 points, along with 8 rebounds and 5 assists, in a 94–100 overtime loss to Serbia in the 2023 World Cup qualifiers.
September 2022: Executive Producer for "The Flagmakers"
In September 2022, Giannis Antetokounmpo joined as an executive producer for National Geographic's documentary "The Flagmakers", a film about immigrant employees working at an American flag factory.
2022: Release of "Rise" Film
In 2022, the film "Rise", based on the life of Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family, was released.
2022: Played in the EuroBasket
In September 2022, Antetokounmpo played in the EuroBasket 2022 with Greece. He averaged 29.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks per game in 6 games played and was selected to the All-Tournament Team.
January 3, 2023: Career-High 55 Points
On January 3, 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a then career-high 55 points, along with 10 rebounds and seven assists in a 123–113 win over the Washington Wizards.
March 2023: Minority Owner in Nashville SC
In March 2023, Giannis, along with his brothers, Alex, Thanasis, and Kostas, became minority owners in the Major League Soccer club Nashville SC.
June 2023: Shareholder and Owner of Candy Funhouse
In June 2023, Giannis and his brothers Thanasis, Kostas and Alex expanded their investment portfolio, overseen by Ante Inc., by becoming shareholders and owners of the Canadian online confectionary retailer, Candy Funhouse.
September 2023: Executive Producer of Reality TV Show
In September 2023, Giannis signed on as an Executive Producer of a reality TV show created by Candy Funhouse and the producers of Big Brother, Fly on the Wall.
September 2023: Birth of First Daughter, Eva
In September 2023, Mariah Riddlesprigger gave birth to their first daughter and third child, Eva.
October 23, 2023: Signed three-year, $186 million extension with the Bucks
On October 23, 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo signed a three-year, $186 million contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks.
2023: NBA All-Star Selection as Captain
In 2023, Giannis Antetokounmpo was again selected as an All-Star captain, leading the Eastern Conference in voting.
January 24, 2024: Recorded 42nd career triple-double
On January 24, 2024, Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his 42nd career triple-double with 35 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists and 2 blocks in a 126–116 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
July 10, 2024: Flag Bearer Designation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
On July 10, 2024, the Greek Olympic Committee designated Giannis Antetokounmpo as the flag bearer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, along with Antigoni Drisbioti.
September 1, 2024: Marriage to Mariah Riddlesprigger
On September 1, 2024, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Mariah Riddlesprigger got married in a private ceremony at the Costa Navarino resort near Pylos, with Khris Middleton as the best man.
November 13, 2024: Scored 59 points against the Detroit Pistons
On November 13, 2024, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 59 points, along with 14 rebounds and seven assists, in a 127–120 overtime win over the Detroit Pistons.
2024: Represented Greece at the Summer Olympics
At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Giannis Antetokounmpo carried the Greek flag at the Opening Ceremonies. He averaged a tournament high 25.8 points along with 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists in 4 games played, and was named to the tournament's All-Second Team.
2024: Averaged 6.5 assists per game
During the 2019–20 season, Antetokounmpo was responsible for 57.8% of the points the Bucks scored while he was on the floor. He averaged 6.5 assists per game during both the 2023–24 seasons.
2024: NBA Cup MVP
In 2024, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to win the 2nd edition of the NBA Cup, where he was named NBA Cup MVP.
2024: NBA All-Star Selection as Captain
In 2024, Giannis Antetokounmpo was again selected as an All-Star captain, leading the Eastern Conference in voting.
January 2, 2025: Longest streak in NBA history with at least 20 points scored on 50% or better shooting
On January 2, 2025, Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 27 points on 12-of-24 shooting from the field, 13 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in a 113–110 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. It was his 26th straight game with at least 20 points scored on 50% or better shooting from the field, the longest streak in NBA history.
May 2025: Birth of Second Daughter, Aria
In May 2025, Mariah Riddlesprigger gave birth to their second daughter and fourth child, Aria.
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