“Basketball Should Be Played With No Emotions”: Giannis Antetokounmpo Reveals How He’s Coping With NBA’s Orlando Bubble

It was not until 2013 that the “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo was actually Greek. Although he was born in Athens, Greece on December 6, 1994, he did not automatically receive Greek citizenship.

He was born to immigrants from Nigeria. The nationality law in Greece did not allow him to be an automatic citizen. For the first 18 years of his life, Giannis was stateless, part of an immigrant family. And so, he had to face difficulties to earn a livelihood. Giannis and his older brother, Thanasis, had to become hawkers to support their family.

Here’s a tweet from 2013 when he officially became Giannis Antetokounmpo.

It is perhaps the reason why Antetokounmpo is not among those complaining about life inside the bubble in Orlando. As teams prepare for the season’s restart in a manner that, until very recently, they could not have imagined, Antetokounmpo is instead counting his blessings.

“I’m in a situation where I’m extremely blessed and I cannot complain. Obviously, it doesn’t matter where you are in life, there’s always something to complain, there’s always a problem and an issue,” Antetokounmpo said (via ESPN). “But, I try to kind of not focus on that. So, as I said, my apartment in Greece, when I was younger, with my four brothers, was way smaller than the suite that I have in the hotel so I’m just trying to enjoy the moment.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to come out of the bubble as a better player

He started playing basketball in 2007 in Greece. When he caught the eyes of NBA scouts, he was playing in Greece’s second division against talent that NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, in one of his articles believed, classified only “sheepishly” as professional.

Yet, he was the hope for a fallen Milwaukee Bucks side. Antetokounmpo has been a part of a Bucks side that had the worst record in the NBA. This season, he has led his side to have the best record in the league. Unfortunately, no fans will be celebrating the Bucks’ victory from the stands if Antetokounmpo leads his side to the NBA title this year.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to go out there and play,” Antetokounmpo said of playing inside the bubble. “I’m not going to try to not be myself. I never wear headphones, I don’t listen to music before games or before practice because it brings a lot of emotions to basketball. I feel like basketball should be played with no emotions, so I’m just going to try to be myself.

Antetokounmpo remembered advice that his coach during his teenage days gave him. He wants to come out of the bubble as a better player, but more importantly, as a better man.

“I had the national team coach when I was 17, he told me that, ‘whenever you’re around in a place with a lot of players, you’ve just got to be yourself, keep to yourself, look them straight in their eyes and just give them a nod. Say hello, but be you.’

“I’m not going to try to change who I am, but obviously, if we can be here for 3 months, my goal is to be a better basketball player and a better person leaving this place,” he said.