Giannis

The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP

By: Mirin Fader

Narrated by: Mirin Fader

Length: 13 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Discover the story of one of the most transcendent players in NBA history—from his early life living in poverty in Greece to his inspiring rise to super-stardom in America.

As the face of the NBA's new world order, Giannis Antetokounmpo has overcome unfathomable obstacles to become a symbol of hope for people all over the world, the personification of the American Dream. But his backstory remains largely untold, and Fader unearths new information about the childhood that shaped "The Greek Freak"—from sleeping side by side with his brothers to selling trinkets on the side of the street with his family to the racism he experienced in Greece. Antetokounmpo grew up in an era when Golden Dawn, Greek's far-right, anti-immigrant party, patrolled his neighborhood, and his status as an illegal immigrant largely prevented him from playing for Greek's top clubs, making his rise to the NBA all the more improbable. Fader tells a deeply human story of how an unknown, skinny Black Greek teen, who played in the country's lowest pro division and was seen as a draft gamble, transformed his body and his game into MVP material.

Antetokounmpo's story has been framed as a feel-good narrative in which the globe has embraced him, watching him grow up and lead the underdog Bucks to the best record in the NBA in 2020. Giannis reveals a more nuanced story: how hesitant Antetokounmpo was, and still is, to spend money; how lonely and isolated he felt, adjusting to America and the NBA early in his career; the way he changed after his father recently died of a heart attack; the complexity of grappling with his Black and Greek identities; how private he is, so hard on himself and his shortcomings, a drive that fuels him every day; and the deep-rooted responsibility he feels to be a nurturing role model for his younger brothers. Fader illustrates a more vulnerable star than people know, a person who has evolved triumphantly into all of his roles: as father, brother, son, teammate, and global icon. Giannis gives listeners a front-row seat as Antetokounmpo strives for an elusive championship with the Bucks, quelling speculation about potentially leaving Milwaukee after signing a five-year supermax contract extension worth $228 million. Now, he contends with his next big hurdle: proving that committing to a small-market franchise can bring Milwaukee back to glory.

©2021 Mirin Fader (P)2021 Hachette Books

Critic reviews

“Around the time that the Greek Freak was busting out in the NBA, Mirin Fader was doing the same thing in her line of work. In a journalism world that had become more and more about opinions, Fader decided that she would be a storyteller, and she invariably spins her tales with vividness and clarity, fueled by endless curiosity.” (Jack McCallum, author of Dream Team)

“Mirin Fader traces an upbringing marked by deep family ties, extreme poverty, racism, and xenophobia. Like its subject, this biography is serious, engaging, and, more than anything, inspiring.” (Ben Golliver, author of Bubbleball)

“An inspiring rags-to-riches account.... Fader never loses sight of how Antetokounmpo continued to put his family’s needs first.... [A] captivating portrait of a sincere, diligent, and humble talent." (Publishers Weekly)

Great moving story

Great book. Probably my favorite audiobook so far. I was kind of disappointed that they didn’t go into why the Bucks took a chance on him as they focused more on Atlanta really trying to get him. Giannis is an example of what can happen with hard work

Amazing

Such a good person, I loved it, what a journey, he is an inspiration to all people

loved giannis before

love him even more now. he's just a great person and as a bucks fan I feel lucky to have him.

powerful and inspirational

if you think you know Giannis life story, you real don't know the WHOLE thing and Mirin Fader does an incredible job of documenting every step of the journey. Giannis story is inspirational and makes you want to cheer for him

Inspiring story

I think this is a great book for everyone but mostly for kids that like
to play basketball it is very inspiring
for kids who come from small place.
What I don’t like is the constant injustice happening.

Mirin's great story about a great human champion

This is such a great book that I finished it in two days. I simply couldn't put it down. The story of Giannis told from such a humanistic perspective was the perfect way to capture his greatness. I was a Giannis fan before this. Now I'm a Mirin AND a Giannis fan.

Great book about the Greek Freak

Great book because it tells the story of what Giannis went through as a kid in Greece and it showed how down-to-earth he actually is. We loved it!

Fantastic!

Not enough books about European and World Basketball players. Giannis' story is incredible and Mirin Fader does a fantastic job telling it.

Great, well written story w/ lackluster delivery

Giannis is an incredible story that needed to be told. He's an inspiration and already a legend. The book also gives an idea how much racism Giannis has dealt with and shows that he has always taken the high road.

The narration was very below average. It was not smooth and sometimes was so choppy that it got a little confusing. I think she should have just done the intro and then left the rest to someone else.

Inspiring

Every young person should read this book. Every young person striving for a better tomorrow should read this book. Everyone who dares to dream should read this book. “Always want more, but don’t be greedy”