In a candid, street-style interview that went viral online, NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo opened up about his journey from poverty to extreme wealth, offering shrewd money advice for young people and fellow athletes alike.
Reflecting on his childhood before finding basketball stardom, the Milwaukee Bucks forward reminded viewers of his humble beginnings. “I used to sell stuff in the streets,” Antetokounmpo shared. “I know what it is to come from nothing, brother.” After becoming a millionaire at just twenty years old, he revealed that his highest earning year brought in a staggering $120 million.
When asked why an estimated 60% of professional athletes go broke within six years of retirement, Antetokounmpo pointed to a fixation on material status symbols rather than long-term security.
“Rich is what you see. Wealth is what you don’t see,” Antetokounmpo proclaimed
“They focus on the chains. They focus on the cars,” Antetokounmpo explained. “Rich is what you see. Wealth is what you don’t see. Extreme wealth is what you don’t see. You have, haven’t spent, and kept investing.”
To protect that wealth, the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player offered an unconventional but highly practical piece of advice regarding an athlete’s inner circle. He warned the younger generation to establish strict boundaries between their business managers. “Make sure especially your lawyer, your financial advisor, and your agents should not know one another,” he advised. “They might take advantage of you, and you have to protect yourself.”
Looking to the future, the basketball icon stated that he does not feel like he has “made it” yet, citing a long list of remaining goals, including joining the billionaire club through disciplined market compounding. “Your money doubles every seven years,” he noted. “If you invest in the market, even if I don’t do nothing, I’ll probably be a billionaire while I’m playing.”
Antetokounmpo credited his elite on-court mentality and his financial discipline to the power of focus, recalling a pivotal moment when the late Kobe Bryant challenged him to win an MVP trophy. To keep the goal alive, Antetokounmpo wrote “MVP” inside the cap of a water jug he carried daily.
“Speak things to existence, man, because your brain listens to you,” Antetokounmpo said. “Once your brain listens to you, it does everything that it needs to do to make that happen.”
Related: Injury, Contracts, and the Uncertain Future of Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee
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