by Mirin Fader
Giannis texted Drew and told him he noticed an error: Nickel, “Bucks Rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo Learning.”
“Sexual chocolate!”: Sean Gregory, “Greek Freak Giannis Antetokounmpo on Growing Up Undocumented, Taking on LeBron and Gunning for MVP,” Time, October 17, 2017.
Insist on splitting the bill: Lee Jenkins, “Giannis Antetokounmpo: The Most Intriguing Point Guard in NBA History,” Sports Illustrated, January 3, 2017.
“I just taste for the first time”: Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34), Twitter, January 20, 2014, https://twitter.co/Giannis_An34/status/425376868334727168.
David Morway’s wife’s homemade peanut butter: Adrian Wojnarowski, “From Street Vendor to Surging NBA Player, Greek Freak Living the American Dream,” Yahoo Sports, March 18, 2014, https://sports.yahoo.com/news/from-selling-sunglasses-on-street-to-nba-player-on-the-rise--greek-freak-living-the-american-dream-214309752.html.
“Get whatever you want”: Vice Sports, “The Greek Freak Is Back for Round Two: The Cusp,” October 23, 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGIrZJ0VnHY.
“What are you doing?”: Ibid.
“It’s a buffet”: Ibid.
Carrying a couple of frozen pizzas at Target: Wojnarowski, “From Street Vendor.”
“Let me see—I think I am very handsome!”: Fox 6 Now Milwaukee, “Giannis Antetokounmpo Meets Other Greeks on Basketball Court,” January 21, 2014, https://www.fox6now.com/sports/giannis-antetokounmpo-meets-other-greeks-on-basketball-court.
“His naiveté and willingness to be forthcoming”: Scoop Jackson, “Freakishly Happy,” ESPN, February 5, 2014.
“Five-syllable surname”: Mannix, “Out of Order?”
“You still struggle to consistently pronounce”: Matt Velazquez, “NBA Ambition Runs in Family: Bucks Thanasis Antetokounmpo at Combine with Eye on Draft,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 17, 2014.
“Man, this is going to be rough”: Dan Devine, “Bucks Rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Name Is Hard to Say, and We Have Proof (Video),” Yahoo, August 9, 2013, https://sports.yahoo.com/bucks-rookie-giannis-antetokounmpo-name-hard-proof-video-200828432.html?.tsrc=amxaros&a20=1.
“Gee-ah-nay-us Ant-te-toe-kenopio”: Milwaukee Bucks, “Say My Name,” August 9, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcg3joGpNvQ.
“Oh, that is… hydroplaning!”: Wojnarowski, “From Street Vendor.”
“Bald tires are bad!”: Ibid.
“I want to take the test right now!”: Ibid.
6. Lonely
Primary source interviews: Alex Antetokounmpo, Ross Geiger, John Hammond, Giannis Tzikas (via translator Maria Drimpa), Bob Bender, Steve Kroft, Skip Robinson, Mike Sergo, Brandon Knight, Caron Butler, Luke Ridnour, Larry Sanders, Scott Williams, D. J. Stephens, Jim Cleamons, Zaza Pachulia, Larry Drew, Robert Hackett, Cody Ross, Josh Oppenheimer, Sal Sendik, Jay Namoc, and Charles F. Gardner.
“Take me back”: Steve Kroft, transcript of his 60 Minutes interview with Giannis, 2017.
Given that Greek law prohibits: NBA on TNT, “Finding Giannis,” February 16, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrCU305tzmM.
“Being scared to walk”: Kroft, 60 Minutes transcript.
Survived a near-fatal motorcycle accident: Vahe Gregorian, “NBA Executive’s Career Takes Improbable Turns,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, June 29, 2010.
Scott Burgess, who died of a brain injury: Ibid.
Cover the length of the floor in six strides: Lee Jenkins, “The Larry Sanders Show,” Sports Illustrated, April 15, 2013.
Dropped below zero twenty-four times: Jesse Garza, “Return of Polar Vortex Expected to Drop Temperatures Below Zero,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 24, 2014.
“Life threatening”: Brendan O’Brien and Kim Palmer, “‘Life-Threatening’ Cold Bites U.S. Midwest,” Reuters, January 4, 2014.
Bringing cupcakes for the team: Charles F. Gardner, “Friday Game Report: Bucks at Wizards,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 6, 2013.
He felt like he was making at least twenty mistakes: Lori Nickel, “Bucks Rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo Learning on the Job,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 25, 2014.
Welp shrug: Amos Barshad, “In Giannis We Trust,” Grantland, March 6, 2014, https://grantland.com/features/milwaukee-bucks-giannis-antetokounmpo.
“Get whatever you want to eat”: Adrian Wojnarowski, “From Street Vendor to Surging NBA Player, Greek Freak Living the American Dream,” Yahoo Sports, March 18, 2014, https://sports.yahoo.com/news/from-selling-sunglasses-on-street-to-nba-player-on-the-rise--greek-freak-living-the-american-dream-214309752.html.
“Whatever you want”: Ibid.
Thanasis ordered a salad: Ibid.
What if we all went to sleep: Mirin Fader, “The Rise of the Next Antetokounmpo,” Bleacher Report, July 18, 2019, https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2845193-the-rise-of-the-next-antetokounmpo.
Giannis was terrified: Vice Sports, “The Greek Freak Is Back.”
I’m guarding Kevin Durant: Ibid.
“He’s just sneaky athletic”: Charles F. Gardner, “Antetokounmpo Is Foreign, for Now: Bright Future Awaits the Bucks’ Greek-Born Rookie,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 13, 2014.
7. Hope
Primary source interviews: Mike Sergo; Rick Stoffel; Jerry Brittain; Ralph Gross; Ross Geiger; John Hammond; Scott Williams; Luke Ridnour; Nate Wolters; Jon McGlocklin; Eddie Doucette; Doug Russell; a former Bucks employee; Theodore Loehrke; Dan Bilsky; Melissa Mangan; a Bucks longtime staffer; Caron Butler; Myron Medcalf; Kurt Leitinger; Paul Henning; Charles F. Gardner; Tom Oates; Mickey Davis; Andy Gorzalski; Sharonda Robinson; Kelvin Robinson; Andy Carpenter; Matthew Smith; Jim Kogutkiewicz; George Karl; Coby Karl; Raj Shukla; Dan Shafer; Carmelo Anthony; Josh Oppenheimer; Larry Drew; Bob Bender; Frank Madden; Jenny Fischer; and Terry Driscoll.
Lone publicity department: Bill Glauber, “Steinmiller Has Seen It All in 50 Seasons with Bucks,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 7, 2019.
Only ten full-timer staffers: Ibid.
Every ticket had to be dealt with: Ibid.
Suits off the rack and his reading glasses: John Steinbreder, “The Owners,” Sports Illustrated, September 13, 1993.
A modest, early 2000s Buick sedan: Doug Russell, “Endangered Species,” Milwaukee Magazine, September 30, 2013.
He sometimes bagged groceries: Ibid.
“Oh man. Milwaukee. Damn”: Alex Boeder, “Day and the Night,” NBA.com, July 1, 2014, https://www.nba.com/bucks/features/boeder-day-and-tonight.
“We have to find a way”: Eric Nehm, 100 Things Bucks Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die (Chicago: Triumph Books, 2018), 38.
Long lines of snake dancers: Peter Carry, “Milwaukee Is Falling in Love Quietly This Time,” Sports Illustrated, April 27, 1970.
“Carpetbaggers”: Tracy Dodds, “Arena Roulette: Milwaukee Style,” Los Angeles Times, April 15, 1985.
“Black eye”: Marvin L. Fishman with Tracy Dodds, Bucking the Odds: The Birth of the Milwaukee Bucks (Milwaukee: Raintree, 1978), 56.
“A terrible, terrible trauma”: Dodds, “Arena Roulette.”
“He is as close to a meld of Wilt Chamberlain”: Tex Maule, “A Coming-Out Party for Lew and Connie,” Sports Illustrated, October 6, 1969.
“Milwaukee had spent a year sucking”: Fishman with Dodds, Bucking, 17.
Four-dollar one-way Greyhound: Ibid., 26.
“I was delighted!”: Ibid., 44.
“Do you really think you can cut it”: Ibid., 55.
A 1964 Kennedy half-dollar: Rick Schabowski, From Coin Toss to Championship: 1971—the Year of the Milwaukee Bucks (Milwaukee: HenschelHAUS, 2019), 7.
“A monumental, once-in-a-lifetime”: Nehm, 100 Things, 9.
Seventh Street and Wisconsin Avenue: Schabowski, From Coin Toss, 5.
Erickson, who couldn’t sit still: Fishman with Dodds, Bucking, 108.
Pavalon, who was chain-smoking cigarettes: Ibid.
Winston Churchill silver dollar: Ibid.
They
were all praying: Ibid.
Pavalon jumped up and accidentally jammed his cigarette: Tex Maule, “Lew Turns Small Change to Big Bucks,” Sports Illustrated, March 9, 1970.
“I didn’t care, once we had Lew”: Ibid.
Five to seven dollars: Maule, “Lew Turns Small Change.”
“Goodbye, Lewie”: Nehm, 100 Things, 1.
“We’ll be back”: Ibid.
Drinking a Coke and chewing gum: Peter Carry, “Hey, Look, Ma! Only One Hand,” Sports Illustrated, May 10, 1971.
“People expect us to win”: Ibid.
“I don’t know about dynasties”: Schabowski, From Coin Toss, 311.
Legally changed his name to Abdul-Jabbar in fall 1971: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giant Steps: The Autobiography of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (New York: Bantam Books, 1985), 235.
“This is the first champagne”: Ibid., 309.
Ten thousand fans: Ibid., 311.
Beef wellington, red wine: Thomas Bonk, “June 16, 1975: A Banner Day for Lakers; Kareem Takes His Post; 4 Players Got in Trade Gone, but He’s Still on Job,” Los Angeles Times, December 25, 1987.
“I’m not criticizing”: Steve Cady, “Abdul-Jabbar Traded by Bucks for Four Lakers,” New York Times, June 17, 1975.
A window in his home that faced north: Don Greenberg, “Kareem Recalls His Biker Days; Bucks Give Their Former Center a New Motorcycle as a Farewell Gift,” Orange County Register, December 12, 1988.
“Live in Milwaukee?”: Rick Gano, “Abdul-Jabbar Says Goodbye to His First NBA Home,” Associated Press, December 9, 1988.
“Where I work”: Bonk, “June 16, 1975: A Banner.”
“Everybody in Milwaukee was mad”: Ibid.
Disco music: Anthony Cotton, “There’s No Stopping the Bucks,” Sports Illustrated, February 22, 1982.
“This is the first time I’ve ever lost”: Bob Wolfley, “SportsDay with Bob Wolfley: In ’83 Playoffs, Bucks’ Fitzgerald Encountered Smoking Hot Red,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 6, 2012.
$27,500: Sarah Kessler, “How Milwaukee’s Forgotten Iconic Basketball Court Reemerged as Art,” Fast Company, August 23, 2013.
“Something akin to the ceiling”: Ibid.
Nelson said at first he thought he had to wear sunglasses: Ibid.
“We just knew if we jumped”: Jack Maloney, “Bucks Legend Marques Johnson Discusses Milwaukee’s ‘Return to the MECCA’ Game,” CBS Sports, October 25, 2017, https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-legend-marques-johnson-discusses-milwaukees-return-to-the-mecca-game/.
“This team couldn’t be kept”: JR Radcliffe, “Pettit Saved Bucks with Donation for New Arena; Bradley Center Was Needed to Keep Team,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 23, 2020.
Fitzgerald was adamant: Associated Press, “Bucks for Sale as TV Venture Fails,” printed in New York Times, February 6, 1985.
“We feel this is where they belong”: Ibid.
“It’s not the end of the earth”: Bob Logan, “Milwaukee’s Biggest Heroes? Lloyd and Jane Pettit,” Chicago Tribune, October 27, 1985.
“Miracle”: Dodds, “Arena Roulette.”
“Hysteria”: Ibid.
“We couldn’t afford to lose them”: Nehm, 100 Things, 13.
“It doesn’t cure the city’s financial”: Dodds, “Arena Roulette.”
“Lots of expectations and no results”: Jackie MacMullan, “Who’s Responsible for Milwaukee’s Disappointing Season? Mourning, Kukoc and Now Mason: The Latest in Foot Injuries,” Sports Illustrated, March 31, 1997.
Dived on the floor too many times: Frank Deford, “Love & Basketball; Basketball for Milwaukee Bucks Coach George Karl, Romance—and an NBA Career—Are Clearly Better the Second Time Around,” Sports Illustrated, November 12, 2001.
One hundred stitches: Ibid.
“You went to see George Karl play”: Ibid.
“The reason was Carmelo”: Matt Velazquez, “Bucks Blog: Giannis Antetokounmpo Impressive in First Start, Battle with Carmelo Anthony,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 19, 2013.
“Of course he is going to get in my head”: Ibid.
A warning: Charles F. Gardner, “Drew Says Freak Start Is the New Normal for Antetokounmpo: Bucks Rookie Impressed Staff, Teammates vs. Knicks,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 20, 2013.
“I don’t care who you are”: Velazquez, “Bucks Blog: Giannis Antetokounmpo Impressive in First Start.”
“Just wait out the clock”: Barshad, “In Giannis We Trust.”
8. Reunited
Primary source interviews: Alex Antetokounmpo; Kostas Antetokounmpo; Nate Wolters; a person familiar with the family’s immigration situation; John Hammond; a former Bucks employee; Ross Geiger; Zaza Pachulia; Skip Robinson; Nate McMillan; Josh Oppenheimer; Antonio Gil; Luke Ridnour; Larry Drew; European agent with clients in Greece; Chris Wright; Nick Calathes; Nikos Zisis; Fotios Katsikaris; Asterios Kalivas; and Giannis Tzikas (via translator Maria Drimpa).
P-1 Visa: Charles F. Gardner, “Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Family Reunites in Milwaukee,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 4, 2014.
Support personnel to Charles: Ibid.
“My parents were here”: Matt Velazquez, “Knight’s Heroics Provide Dagger: Bucks 101, Knicks 98. Late Three-Pointer Secures Victory,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 4, 2014.
“You’re either going to work extra”: Mirin Fader, “The Rise of the Next Antetokounmpo,” Bleacher Report, July 18, 2019, https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2845193-the-rise-of-the-next-antetokounmpo.
McDonald’s: Ibid.
“It’s tough for them to have friends”: Sean Gregory, “Greek Freak Giannis Antetokounmpo on Growing Up Undocumented, Taking on LeBron and Gunning for MVP,” Time, October 17, 2017.
Ask Giannis to give her the names and numbers: Ibid.
“It was crazy”: Fader, “The Rise of the Next Antetokounmpo.”
“You’ve been smiling”: Jim Paschke, “Giannis Reacts to Being Named to Rising Stars,” Bucks.comTV, January 29, 2014, https://www.nba.com/bucks/video/2014/01/29/giannisrisingstarwebmov-3128277.
“It’s very fun”: Ibid.
“I’m ready to go”: Ibid.
“I got my license”: Amos Barshad, “In Giannis We Trust,” Grantland, March 6, 2014, https://grantland.com/features/milwaukee-bucks-giannis-anteto kounmpo.
“277 games to injuries”: “Bucks History. Season Recaps. 2013–14 Season,” Bucks.com, accessed April 15, 2021, https://www.nba.com/bucks/history/season-recaps.
“I wasn’t going to live forever”: Richard Sandomir, “Former Senator Is Selling the Bucks After Three Decades,” New York Times, April 16, 2014.
“Somebody could have offered me”: Eric Nehm, 100 Things Bucks Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die (Chicago: Triumph Books, 2018), 80.
“Milwaukee fans deserve”: Genaro C. Armas, “Bucks Owner Herb Kohl Reaches Deal to Sell Team,” Associated Press, April 17, 2014.
“New York hedge-fund billionaires”: Nehm, 100 Things, 37.
Drew had sensed he was stressed: Charles F. Gardner, “Antetokounmpo Set to Team with Parker for First Time,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 4, 2014.
“I know he’s capable”: Charles F. Gardner, “Bucks Could Find Room on the Roster for Another Antetokounmpo,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 3, 2014.
“I think I’m happier today”: Charles F. Gardner, “Older Brother Gets Shot,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 27, 2014.
“D-minus”: Charles F. Gardner and Matt Velazquez, “Bucks’ Antetokounmpo Hopes to Build on Early Success,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 17, 2014.
“I am happy with myself”: Ibid.
“I love Milwaukee”: Ibid.
“It makes my heart feel great”: Fox 6 Now Milwaukee, “Celebrating Their Greek Heritage: Giannis Antetokounmpo & Family Take In a Greek Festival,” June 17, 2014, https://www.fox6now.com/sports/celebrating-their-greek-heritage-giannis-antetokounmpo-family-take-in-a-greek-festival.
9. Mean
Primary
source interviews: Jabari Parker; Sean Sweeney; Greg Foster; Joe Prunty; Brandon Knight; Skip Robinson; Caron Butler; Josh Oppenheimer; Kerry Kittles; Robert Hackett; a former player of Jason Kidd; a former teammate of Jason Kidd; a former Bucks staffer; Chris Copeland; another ex-player of Jason Kidd; Johnny O’Bryant III; Nicholas Turner; Jason Terry; Nixon Dorvilien; Thon Maker; two more ex-players; Charles F. Gardner; Matthew Dellavedova; Zaza Pachulia; Shawn Zell; Josh Broghamer; Zach Randolph; Jared Dudley; John Hammond; Michael Carter-Williams; Kostas Antetokounmpo; Alex Antetokounmpo; Mike Sergo; Greg Signorelli; Jay Namoc; Michael Clutterbuck; another ex-staffer; Larry Sanders; Bill Simmons; Alvin Gentry; Tyler Ennis; Doug McDermott; Aaron Brooks; and Jim Kogutkiewicz.
“A human wormhole”: Jason Concepcion, “NBA Shootaround: Our Favorite Players So Far,” Grantland, December 18, 2014, https://grantland.com/the-triangle/nba-shootaround-our-favorite-players-so-far/.
“The Giannis Antetokounmpo experiment”: Charles F. Gardner, “Antetokounmpo Gets Run of Offense: He Will Start at Point Against Cavs,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 14, 2014.
Olajuwon told Giannis: Charles F. Gardner, “Golden Chance to Shine on World Stage: Young Players Focused on Winning at O2; Bucks Build International Audience with Trip,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 15, 2015.
“It doesn’t look like me”: Charles F. Gardner, “Antetokounmpo Impresses McHale: Bucks vs. Rockets. Late Improvement Shows Potential, Coach Says,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 30, 2014.
Ever since his rookie year, when he saw the Bucks hand out Larry Sanders: Ibid.
When is it going to be my turn?: Ibid.
“I didn’t think I was going to have one”: Ibid.
“Try not to be stressed”: Giannis Antetokounmpo, “Giannis Antetokounmpo: A Day in My Life,” January 29, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwiFDgTx_Tc.
“Bravo, Alex! Bravo!”: Ibid.
He didn’t wear headphones and didn’t listen to music: Lori Nickel, “Surrounded by Those Who Want to Deny Him, Giannis Adapts to Uncomfortable Life in a Bubble,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, July 15, 2020.
Two hours and forty-five minutes: Aggeliki Katsini, “Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Hungry for His First Ring,” Contra.gr, October 24, 2019, https://www.contra.gr/synentefxeis/giannis-antetokounmpo-is-hungry-for-his-first-ring.7520012.html.