Review of "Giannis"

After winning their first championship in 50 years, the Milwaukee Bucks and their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo piqued my interest and finding this book was a way to learn more about the "Greek Freak" - which really is not a great nickname for him as a reader will grow to admire this man, whether or not they are a Bucks fan.  Here is my review of his biography. 

Title/Author: “Giannis: The Improbably Rise of an NBA MVP” by Mirin Fader

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently one of the biggest stars in professional basketball. He is the best player on the Milwaukee Bucks, the 2021 NBA champions and Giannis was named the MVP of the Finals as well as being the league’s MVP the previous season.  His rise to fame is a very inspiring story and this biography by Mirin Fader is a wonderful telling of Giannis’ story.

His story starts in Greece, where he and his brothers Alex and Thanasis were raised by loving parents who were refugees from Nigeria.  The family was poor – at times it was hard to read about how little food they had.  When Giannis started playing basketball and had the drive to continuously work on his game, he started to get noticed by first Greek coaches and then scouts from other nations as well. Through it all, Giannis remained humble but focused solely on improving his game.

He did so enough that the Bucks decided to take a chance on drafting him after meeting him in Greece.  His story soon after signing a contract for more money than he could imagine was very interesting reading as well, as he had trouble adjusting to living with the privileges being an NBA player and the associated money brought him.  It was enjoyable to read about him not only sending money to his family (and eventually brining them to the United States) but also how he would still live frugally after being used to doing that for so long.  Giannis’ manners and polite but firm discussions with his coaches also are frequently documented to give the reader a complete picture of his personality.

As for his basketball, his rise to fame also came with bumps in the road.  His determination to play against the best players in the league came at a price, especially early in his NBA career before building up his muscles.  I loved reading about Giannis’s determination and insistence on guarding Carmelo Anthony in his rookie year.  That he wanted to test himself against, at that time, one of the best players in the league said volumes to his work ethic – something that Fader writes about frequently.

Like Giannis himself, the Bucks also saw their play and their fortunes rise, culminating in their 2021 championship.  While this book was written before that occurred, it doesn’t diminish the quality of writing in this book and the complete telling of the story of one of the most popular and entertaining players in the game today.  A must read for today’s basketball fan.

I wish to thank Hachette Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Link:  Amazon.com: Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP eBook : Fader, Mirin: Kindle Store