Giannis Antetokounmpo could soon become the face of the league at the rate he's playing, as it won't be long before Father Time catches up to LeBron James and he's forced to cede his throne as the most recognizable face in the NBA. Yet there are some things he won't abandon for that title, namely his Greek roots.
“A lot of people say that I can be the face of the league,” Antetokounmpo told Matt Velasquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Lately, people have told me… the closest people, you know, my family, my girlfriend, my mom, my brothers, people say that I cannot be the face of the league because I’m not American, I don’t have the American culture in me.
“I sat back and thought about that. Should I have a little bit more American swag, should I come with a suit to the game, should I be more Americanized? But, man, if I can’t be the face of the league being me, I don’t want to be the face of the league. That’s pretty much it.”
Perhaps what endears most Antetokounmpo fans to him is his unapologetic authenticity — a large 6-foot-11 Greek god with enough charm to talk simply enough to understand him through his accent and unafraid to make bold claims without being boisterous or naive.
The Greek Freak is a breath of fresh air, more bite than bark, while remaining human, family-oriented and acknowledgeable of still discovering the American culture after being in Milwaukee for only six years since first being drafted.
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