In 2021, a half-a-century wait came to an end. The last time it was Kareem-Abdul Jabbar. This time another Milwaukee legend, Giannis Antetokounmpo fulfilled his promise and achieved the most priced trophy in the NBA. As the confetti poured on the Fiserv Forum and the crowd deafened the arena, The Greek Freak sat there with an array of emotions, bursting into tears of happiness. He had made an entire city jump with pride. With that, he became the son of Milwaukee.

However, the reason for his emotional outburst was reminiscing about the journey he had been on. From an innocent and poor kid in Athens, Greece, Antetokounmpo had come a long way. He had made Wisconsin his home, but yet he never forgot where he came from. After winning the title, he revised Greece.

Surprisingly, the people there didn’t make him feel exactly welcome. In his recent documentary, ‘Giannis: The Marvelous Journey’, the two-time MVP spoke about being an immigrant and making moves to improve the perception of people like him.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is fighting for the immigrants in Greece and around the world

Antetokounmpo spent his entire childhood in Athens. He first picked up a basketball at the local court. He played for the local team –  Filathlitikos. The basketball great was as Greek as one could get. But his origins tie him to Nigeria. His parents, Charles and Veronica moved to the country from Nigeria in 1991, when Giannis Antetokounmpo was born.

From that moment on, his journey would be characterized by adversity and rejection. The people of Greece didn’t treat immigrants well. That didn’t stop the Milwaukee Bucks forward from worshipping the land of Athen. As soon as he won, his family planned a trip back home. They visited the Acropolis, a historic monument located on uneven land in Athens. Accompanying them was the glowing NBA Trophy and his Finals MVP.

It was his way of paying homage to his homeland, his father, and everything Greece had given him. But his girlfriend and the mother of his children Mariah Riddlespriger couldn’t comprehend his decision. She was confused. It was because even after donning the Greek colors, making the nation proud by becoming one of the best players on the planet, he hadn’t achieved unanimous acceptance.

“When we go back to Greece I was like ‘Why do you like being here if there is so many people who don’t think you belong here?'”. said Mariah, who had a puzzled look on her face.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was in fact on a mission. He opened up a foundation after his son’s name. The Charles Antetkounmpo Family Foundation. He wanted to do something to make his father proud. He didn’t want another immigrant to suffer the way he had to. So the aim of his foundation is to uplift the immigrants of Greece, Nigeria, and Milwaukee.

“He’s like ‘I’m changing that perception of what immigrants can do in a country. Immigrants aren’t criminals. They are not here to take your jobs, they are here looking for a better life just like you are'”. his girlfriend explained passionately.

READ MORE-What Did Shaquille O’Neal Give Giannis Antetokounmpo In The Slam Dunk Contest? Bucks’ Superstar Reveals Online

Adversity never let him lose the loss for his country. For Giannis Antetokounmpo, family means everything. As he tries to make his father proud, Antetokounmpo will treat it like he does any NBA game, approach it ferociously, and do everything possible. That’s the man he is. Hopefully, he becomes the beacon of change as he has done in Milwaukee.

Watch This Story: “We Were Not Thinking”: Pacers Justify Infuriating Giannis Antetokounmpo on Career Night With Bizarre Reason