Giannis Antetokounmpo is a beloved basketball player who is quickly becoming one of the best, if not the very best, players in the entire NBA. Even better, especially to this story, is the fact on Tuesday that he inked a five-year, $228.2 million deal to stay with the Bucks. Tuesday's news is going to make Giannis Antetokounmpo's net worth in 2020 look like zero bones in a few years.
Oh, he’s also a retired elite-level street vendor. Some would say Hall of Fame vendor, if we’re being blunt. The reason he's retired? Well, you know, the insane amount of money he's earned in his NBA career.
Everyone, relax. Much like the superheroes trotting about Marvel movies on the big screen, our neighborhood friendly Giannis also has a humble origin story. And…we think…it has nothing to do with him being bitten by a radioactive spider.
Keyword there is – THINK.
Prior to becoming the Greek Freak, with a name that took announcers years to pronounce correctly, Giannis Antetokounmpo spent his time hawking gear on the streets of Greece. Food, DVDs, CDs… pretty much whatever could be sold to people, he attempted to do so.
Heck, there’s probably a person out there right now, listening to an early Destiny’s Child album that was bought directly from Giannis himself. Why? Because Giannis is… and wait for it now…
Giannis a survivor (what), He not gon' give up (what)
Giannis not gon' stop (what), He gon' work harder (what)
Giannis a survivor (what), He gonna make it (what)
Giannis will survive (what), keep on survivin' (what)
(end singing)
Get it? Like Destiny's Child? I am brilliant, kids.
The magic of the internet! What were we talking about? Oh, yes. Giannis being the Michael Jordan of street vending.
“I was young,” The Giannis Antetokounmpo told ESPN. “I was selling stuff probably since I could remember, like 6 or 7 years old. I was always out there helping my mom and dad sell watches, glasses, CDs, DVDs, stuff like that. Whatever we could put our hands on. I did it until I was around 17. But I was just doing it because I had to. There was no other option.”
This sounds more like the start to Trading Places as it does the origin story of an NBA superstar. Hopefully you're not a literal child who has never watched that glorious movie starring to comedy icons. One of them is now really into the paranormal while the other is a big fan of making children movies.
Time is undefeated. Digressing a bit here, kids…
Giannis Antetokounmpo's Net Worth In 2020- $60 million
@clutchstories Giannis: From Street Vendor To Superstar 🌟 @leslieeemichelle #giannis #giannisantetokounmpo #bucks #nba #clutchpoints #clutchstories #fyp #viral
See the above net worth? After agreeing to the five-year, $228.2 million contract with the Bucks, that number is going to get a bit bigger. Basically, Giannis Antetokounmpo's net worth in 2020 is misleading at this point. But, again, let's refocus.
Luckily for the Bucks, Giannis followed Eddie Murphy’s career-arc in the 1980s sitcom. Since giving up the job of being the world’s – presumed – largest freelance street vendor, he’s taken the NBA by storm to the point Milwaukee is often considered a franchise that will be near the top of the Eastern Conference until Giannis decides to play elsewhere… if that is something that ever actually happens.
Everyone knows how this ends up, though. Well mostly everyone. Let's get to the nitty gritty of this entire story in which it ends on a sincerely good note, with all of us capable of basking in the joy of a quality story. When do we get do that? How about right this very second? Does that tickle your fancy?
As a basketball loving world finds out about his origin story, Giannis’ arc will not be complete until he uses it for the greater good – or is around long enough to use it to become the villain.
Maybe he uses his street-vending skills to lure a top-tier superstar to Milwaukee. Replacing his presumed yells of “Home Alone 2 here!” with “VHS and DVD’s”
In all seriousness, Giannis started from as close to the bottom as one can be, and has since risen to make millions of dollars to help his family while playing the game he loves. It’s a true inspirational story – one which fans shouldn’t take for granted.
“A lot of people know who I am now,” Giannis Antetokounmpo told ESPN. “They want a little bit of me, a little bit of my time. But at the end of the day, I still have to remember who I am. What's the reason I'm playing basketball? I do it because I love it, I do it because of my family and that's it. I don't do it because of the money, I don't do it because of the fame, I just do it because I love it and I do it for my family because my family enjoys it.”
In an a far worse, alternative universe, Giannis Antetokounmpo is still hawking DVDs on the streets of Greece. Luckily for him, as well as fans, we don’t live in that world. Instead, we have this one. A realm of existence where we get to see the Bucks star perform superhero like feats on a near daily basis. Also, one where Giannis Antetokounmpo's net worth in 2020 will be overshadowed by the money he's about to make in the next few years. Not bad for the Giannis Antetokounmpo vendor, eh?
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