Giannis Antetokounmpo X Nike: NFL Legend Hails the Bucks Star for Sacrificing Lucrative Adidas Deal for Brother Thanasis

Giannis Antetokounmpo does not play when it comes to his family. However, Adidas found it the hard way. Back when Giannis was 17 and an up-and-coming prospect in Greece, the Adidas representatives approached him for a deal. The German footwear giant had earlier promised that his brother, Thanasis, would also receive a contract. However, they backed out on the day the contract was supposed to be signed.

During a recent episode of the Thanalysis Show, Giannis revealed that Adidas offered him a sneaker deal, but not Thanasis as they had originally planned. “He brought the contract and put it in front of me, and I’m like, ‘Okay, great, where is my brother’s?’ And he was like, ‘We’re not going to sign your brother’s today. You’re going to sign yours and then we’re going to bring your brother in a week to sign his.’ And I was like, ‘Nuh-uh, no, thank you,'” Giannis recalled.

While discussing the

Greek Freak’s decision to walk away from the German sportswear company, former wide receiver Chad Johnson heaped praise on the 8-time NBA All-Star for looking out for his family. “Very few of us get the opportunity to bring family on. Period. It happens very seldom. I like what he doing. And not many people could do this. We talking about NBA-type money. If you can turn down an 8 figure shoe deal from Adidas, you already have ‘f–k you’ money. Only when you have ‘f–k you’ money can you say, “If you can’t sign my brother, don’t worry about it. I’m not signing with you,'” Ocho said on Nightcap, 

However, contrary to what Ocho believes, Giannis did not have ‘f**k you’ money back when he ditched Adidas. In the Thanalysis Show, the Bucks star revealed that his family was in a place of need, and he would have accepted even “toilet paper and some cash next to it.” However, the Adidas executive was aware of his family’s financial situation and tried to take advantage by offering an underwhelming contract. But it all worked out for the Antetokounmpo family in the end.

Why did Giannis Antetokounmpo choose Nike?

Nike approached the Greek player just as he started his journey in the NBA. At first, Giannis had some misgivings, since he had worn Adidas all his life. But a call with Susan Mulders of Nike Basketball cleared any such doubts. When Giannis explained that it was a “family thing” for him, meaning his brother, mother, and the rest of his family came as a package deal with him, she agreed to offer both him and Thanasis a sneaker deal.

The next thing we know, Antetokounmpo signed his first sneaker deal in 2013. They later agreed to an extension in 2017, which included a signature sneaker line. The Nike Zoom Freak line was launched in June 2019, and with five sneakers already on the market, it shows no signs of slowing down.