Giannis

June 28, 2021
Fader, a staff writer for the Ringer, makes good use of her access to NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family in her debut, an inspiring rags-to-riches account. In 1991, Antetokounmpo’s Nigerian parents left their native country for better opportunities in Greece, where Antetokounmpo was born a few years later. As a six-year-old, Antetokounmpo accompanied his mother selling trinkets on the streets, but the money was never enough, and his family was frequently evicted from their homes. At age 13, Antetokounmpo’s life took a turn when Athens basketball coach Spiros Velliniatis clocked the long-limbed teen running around the neighborhood and offered to find his parents work if Antetokounmpo joined his team. Once on the court, Antetokounmpo began to attract international attention and, in 2013, was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks—a gamble by the team that paid off when Giannis became the league’s MVP in 2019 and 2020. Fader never loses sight of how Antetokounmpo continued to put his family’s needs first, helping his mother, father, and brothers move to the U.S. in 2014 and purchasing the “ten-thousand-square-foot mansion” that he shares with them today. This captivating portrait of a sincere, diligent, and humble talent serves as a refreshing antidote to the often-depressing stories of those who become corrupted by success. Agent: Anthony Mattero, Creative Artists.

August 1, 2021

The astounding story of Giannis Antetokounmpo (b. 1994), the Greek NBA megastar, has been well-documented, but never with as much detail as in this new biography. Fader, a staff writer for The Ringer, has written the comprehensive account of the athlete's journey to becoming the highly versatile MVP he is today. Watching the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo slash and Euro-step his way through NBA defenses in 2021, it's easy to forget that as a teen he despised basketball and instead harbored dreams of soccer stardom. Giannis and his three brothers (two of whom have joined him in the NBA) were raised in Athens by Nigerian immigrants and came of age in a Greece experiencing economic collapse and the rise of ultra-nationalism. This account captures Antetokounmpo the man and basketball player, but it's not just a story of unlikely stardom: it also tells an immigration story spanning three continents, as well as a story about what basketball means to a small city like Milwaukee. VERDICT Though the narrative is occasionally slowed by an overabundance of detail, the depth of Fader's research and the uniqueness of Antetokounmpo's story make this a compelling read. Basketball fans will love it all, especially with Giannis becoming a star player for the Milwaukee Bucks.--Colin Chappell, Anne Arundel Cty. P.L., MD

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2021
As one NBA coach explained, "If you've got nine things to do to stop Milwaukee, he's eight of them." He being Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 26-year-old two-time MVP (2019, 2020) and holder of the largest contract in NBA history ($228 million for five years). Born in Athens into desperate poverty, the son of Nigerian immigrants, Antetokounmpo has one of the more remarkable stories in pro sports, and TheRinger.com staffer Fader does a fine job of reconstructing a childhood bathed in love by family but challenged at every step by racial discrimination, grinding poverty, and doubt. Antetokounmpo picked up the game late, as a teenager, but keen-eyed coaches could see his unparalleled work ethic, humility, selflessness, respect for teammates and coaches, and, of course, his physical potential. Fader tracks his unlikely ascent to the NBA as the fifteenth overall pick in 2013, his ungainly and inconsistent early play, and his hard-won emergence as the dominant force in today's game. With the Bucks having just won the 2021 NBA finals--and Antetokounmpo winning the MVP award for the series--this title certainly will be in postseason demand.

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Inspiring biography of the NBA superstar known as the Greek Freak. Giannis Antetokounmpo (b. 1994) grew up desperately poor, the son of a Nigerian soccer player who might have played in Germany had he not suffered a career-ending injury and wound up in Greece instead. It's a nice touch, then, that Fader--herself a former collegiate basketball player--opens her narrative with a view of family life inside Giannis' 10,000-odd-square-foot home outside Milwaukee. As the author shows, his path to those opulent surroundings was improbable. He wanted to play soccer but was recruited to play basketball. He wasn't particularly good at first: "Giannis couldn't dribble. Didn't understand basketball. His hands seemed to be ahead of his feet. He'd trip over himself. The ball would trickle off his knee. He'd carry the ball." What made the difference was an indomitable work ethic, humility, and a generosity of spirit that kept him from hogging the ball and the glory. An NBA scout noted these qualities even as he observed that Giannis "had incredible length but also that he was uncoordinated." Even so, he pushed for Giannis' recruitment, and in time the Milwaukee Bucks drafted him--a deal made all the more complicated by the fact that Giannis was undocumented and did not have a Greek passport. The youngest player in the draft, Giannis was a quick study. Early on, Grantland founder Bill Simmons summed up his potential: "Seeing the Greek Freak in person is like seeing Young Scottie Pippen crossed with Young Kevin Durant crossed with an octopus. He's only 20, takes 10 yards per step, plays four positions, has Freddy Krueger arms, might pass the 7-foot mark soon and basically doesn't have a genetic parallel." He won the MVP Award twice and, in 2021, he carried the Bucks to the NBA championship for the first time in 50 years. Fader does a good job of relating this rags-to-riches story without clich�, and her commentary on the game is spot-on. Just the thing for the Bucks fan in the household and an accomplished piece of sportswriting.

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