by Mirin Fader
First published 2021
Mirin Fader chronicles the remarkable journey of Giannis Antetokounmpo, tracing his path from an impoverished childhood in Greece to becoming one of basketball's biggest stars. The author reveals previously unknown details about Antetokounmpo's early years, when he slept alongside his brothers and helped his family sell small items on street corners to survive. Fader examines how Greece's anti-immigrant political climate and his illegal status blocked him from joining top basketball clubs, making his eventual NBA success seem nearly impossible. The biography moves beyond the typical feel-good sports narrative to explore Antetokounmpo's complex inner world. Fader shows his reluctance to spend money, his early loneliness adapting to American culture, and how his father's recent death from a heart attack changed him. The book delves into his struggle with dual Black and Greek identities, his perfectionist tendencies, and the pressure he feels as a role model for his younger brothers. Fader captures Antetokounmpo's evolution into multiple roles as father, teammate, and global figure while following his quest for an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks after signing his massive contract extension.
Genres: biography, african-american, sports, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: rags-to-riches, underdog
Setting: Greece, Milwaukee, United States
Period: 21st-century
400 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing