Giannis Antetokounmpo ate his first Oreo in Milwaukee.
And even after all that he’s accomplished, there’s something so pure about that, a sweetness that never seemed to leave Antetokounmpo throughout his entire journey with the Bucks.
This was a lanky teenager drafted out of Greece, where he wasn’t even playing in the top professional division. Soon, the basketball world learned his story.
The son of Nigerian immigrants to Athens, Antetokounmpo and his brothers had to hustle and sell on the street to help make money to support their parents in a place that wasn’t always friendly to them.
Basketball became a blessing for the Antetokounmpo family, but no one could’ve ever imagined how much.
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The best Bucks draft pick ever
Antetokounmpo was chosen with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.
It’ll go down as one of the best draft picks ever.
Yes, he was a skinny teenager with raw athletic ability and a whole lot to learn about basketball, about cookies and about the world.
But he was also uniquely driven by his life experience and by his upbringing. Nothing was going to stop Antetokounmpo, and so nothing did.
A couple seasons in his career, Antetokounmpo started to have these moments, the ones that suggested greatness was on the horizon.
There was a game in Cleveland, during the 2015-16 season, when fans throughout the stands were questioning who this player was whose name they couldn’t even say. The Bucks didn’t win that night, but Antetokounmpo threw down multiple massive dunks and pretty much ran the game even though LeBron James was on the floor.
Everyone who watched Giannis has a moment or two when they, for the first time, said, oh my gosh, this guy is better than we ever imagined.
An eternal Milwaukee legacy
So in this first week of February, with Antetokounmpo having spent months involved in Bucks trade rumors, it’s worth revisiting how much he has meant to Milwaukee, no matter if or when he eventually joins a new team.
No matter where Giannis goes, his legacy will never leave Milwaukee.
Statues will be built of Antetokounmpo.
Stories will be passed down through generations.
Scenes of his time with the Bucks are plastered, indelibly, on the minds of those who rooted for him.
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A 50-piece for a ring
There may never be a more magical night in Bucks history than July 20, 2021.
Milwaukee had a chance to close out its first NBA championship in 50 years, needing just one final win over the Phoenix Suns to do it.
And Antetokounmpo dropped 50 points.
Yes, 50 points to end the 50-year drought.
Not a good foul shooter, that night, Giannis harnessed an entire city’s hopes and dreams into a 17-for-19 showing from the stripe. He was 16-for-25 from the floor, too. He grabbed 14 rebounds. He blocked 5 shots.
And when the game was over, both sides of Antetokounmpo appeared.
The pure joy of a kid playing a game he loved, a game that uplifted his entire family, was there in his smile and emotions.
And then he let out some screams, too, one of the most driven humans on the planet having achieved the greatest thing he could’ve ever hoped for in the most brilliant fashion.
Bucks fans will all remember Antetokounmpo a little differently.
But at his core, Giannis is the guy who once explained, “When I came to the league, (Oreos) were the first thing I ate. When I was younger, I was always craving them and I could never afford them. People are gonna spend money on cars and chains, and I bought Oreos.”
His journey turned him into one of the all-time greats. There will be no hard feelings in Milwaukee no matter how Antetokounmpo’s journey with the Bucks eventually ends.
Just eat an Oreo and smile when thinking about one of the most incredible stories in sports.
