Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Greek Kid from Sepolia, Meets the President of the U.S.

Giannis Antetokounmpo visited the White House on Monday along with the rest of the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are the first team to be guests at the White House since the Obama administration.

The visit was meant to celebrate the Buck’s 2021 NBA Championship title. Antetokounmpo gave a speech at the event, referencing his Greek roots and his path to being a guest of the President:

“A kid from Sepolia, Athens, Greece — grew up from two Nigerian parents who were struggling every day to provide for us. … It’s an unbelievable opportunity to be able to be in the White House meeting the president of the United States. I could not be as honored and happy that something like this — that I’ve accomplished something like this in my life.”

Και έτσι, για πρώτη φορά ο Πρόεδρος της Αμερικής άκουσε τη λέξη «Σεπόλια».
🇬🇷💍🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/yBthZWoO7U

— Thodoris Georgakopoulos (@tgeorgakopoulos) November 9, 2021

He also addressed his fans and those inspired by his life story, encouraging them to never stop pursuing their dreams:

“For everybody out there, this is a great example that with hard work, with sacrifices, if you dedicate yourself, waking up every single day and try to get better in anything you do, in anything you love, and believe in your dreams, you can accomplish great things in life. … I’ve done that my whole life. And I’m in the White House. You can never take moments like that for granted. Without hard work, it would not be possible.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Milwaukee Bucks to their first championship in 40 years

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns 100-94 in game six of the NBA finals to win the 2021 NBA Championship in July. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the team to a great game to secure the first Championship of his career.

Behind 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks from their superstar forward, the Bucks held off the Phoenix Suns to win the franchise’s first championship since 1971 on their home court.

They did so in front of a madhouse, sellout crowd of more than 17,000 fans inside Fiserv Forum — along with a truly remarkable 65,000 more fans assembled outside into the “Deer District” surrounding the building.

Antetokounmpo won the Bill Russell NBA Finals’ Most Valuable Player Award.

His 50 points were tied for the most all-time in a closeout game of the NBA Finals, per ESPN Stats and Information research, equaling Bob Pettit’s 50 points for the St. Louis Hawks at home in Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

 

His free-throw shooting an albatross during the playoffs, Antetokounmpo finally made 17 of 19 from the foul line in the biggest game of his career. He posted three 40-point-plus games in the Finals.

“People told me I can’t make free throws,’’ Antetokounmpo said in the postgame press conference in which he choked up. “I made my free throws tonight and I’m a freaking champion… I wanted it so bad. If I never sit at this table again, I’m fine with it.’’