How Long Has Giannis Been in the NBA?

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the Bucks’ franchise player and was the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2019.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Career

Giannis Antetokounmpo is a Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the Bucks’ leading scorer and rebounder, and also the league’s leading scorer. Giannis has been in the NBA for 7 years.

His Early Life and Career

Giannis Antetokounmpo was born in Athens, Greece, on December 6, 1994, to parents Charles and Veronica. The couple had emigrated from Nigeria to Greece in 1991 in search of a better life. Giannis was the eldest of their four children. All four Antetokounmpo siblings were born in Greece and raised in Sepolia, a working-class neighborhood of Athens. Giannis’ father, Charles, worked long hours as a security guard to support his family. His mother Veronica stayed at home to raise the children.

Giannis began playing organized basketball at the age of 14 for a local team called Filathlitikos. He soon began to stand out from his peers both for his size and his skill level. At 6’9″, he was one of the tallest players on his team. He also had an impressive wingspan and natural athleticism. Giannis quickly developed into a good shooter and an excellent ball-handler for his size.

In 2012, at the age of 18, Giannis signed a professional contract with the Greek club Efes Pilsen SK. He made his debut for the club during the 2012-2013 season and quickly became one of its best players. In 2013-2014, he averaged over 9 points and 5 rebounds per game while playing mainly off the bench.

The following season, Giannis transitioned into a starting role with Efes Pilsen SK. He took advantage of the opportunity to show off his improved all-around game. During the 2014-2015 season, he averaged 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game while shooting over 50% from the field.

It was clear that Giannis Antetokounmpo was destined for great things in basketball. In 2015, he made history by becoming the first player born in Greece to be drafted into the NBA when he was selected 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the NBA draft.

His Time in the NBA

Giannis started his rookie season in 2013 and since then, he has had an eventful career. In his first season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. The following year, he played in his first NBA game as a starter and continued to progress throughout the season. In 2015, he was named the Most Improved Player after averaging over 16 points per game. Giannis continued to elevate his game and in 2016 he was selected to the All-Star team for the first time in his career. He was also named First Team All-NBA that year.

In 2017, Giannis helped lead the Bucks to their first playoff berth since 2010/2011. They eventually lost in the first round but Antetokounmpo’s individual performance garnered attention as he averaged 28 points per game (ppg), 8 rebounds per game (rpg), and 5 assists per game (apg) during the postseason. The following year, Giannis led Milwaukee to their best regular season record since 1981 and they made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals where they lost to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 2019/2020 season was postponed due to COVID-19 but Giannis played well before the hiatus averaging 29 ppg, 13 rpg, and 5 apg. He was once again named First Team All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year. When play resumed in Orlando, Giannis struggled as he dealt with an injury and the Bucks were eventually eliminated in the second round of playoffs by Miami Heat.

How Long Has Giannis Been in the NBA?

Giannis Antetokounmpo, nicknamed the ‘Greek Freak’, has been in the NBA for six seasons now. He was drafted into the NBA in 2013 by the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis has made a name for himself in the NBA as one of the best players. He was named the Most Valuable Player in the 2019-2020 season.

His First Season

Giannis Antetokounmpo, nicknamed the “Greek Freak”, is a Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He stands at 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m), and plays the small forward and power forward positions. Antetokounmpo was drafted 15th overall in the 2013 NBA draft by the Bucks. In his second season in the NBA, he became a regular starter and broke out as a star, leading his team to the playoffs and earning Most Improved Player honors.

During his third season, Antetokounmpo was selected to play in his first NBA All-Star Game. He also earned All-NBA Second Team honors, becoming just the second Bucks player to receive such an honor since 1974–75 (the other being Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). At 22 years old, he was also named to the All-Defensive Second Team, becoming only one of five players in NBA history to receive All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive team honors in the same season. He repeated these accomplishments in 2018–19 while leading the league in blocks per game (1.5) and steals per game (2.0), becoming one of only three players ever to average at least one block and one steal per game for an entire season.

His Second Season

Giannis entered the league as a raw but intriguing 19-year-old prospect from Greece in the 2013 NBA draft. He struggled mightily during his rookie season, shooting just 41.4 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from the foul line while averaging 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds in 77 games. The Bucks were patient with Giannis, however, and he was rewarded for their faith by making a quantum leap during his second season. The lanky 6’11” forward transformed himself into a force to be reckoned with, averaging 12.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting an impressive 50.6 percent from the field in 80 games. He also improved his foul shooting to a solid 75.0 percent mark.

His Third Season

Giannis Antetokounmpo, nicknamed the “Greek Freak”, is a Nigerian-born Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) tall and plays at the small forward and power forward positions.

Antetokounmpo was selected 15th overall in the 2013 NBA draft by the Bucks. In his rookie season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. In just his third season in the league, he was voted as a starter for the 2016 NBA All-Star Game, becoming the first Buck to be selected since Marques Johnson in 1979. He went on to earn All-NBA Second Team honors that same year.

Giannis’ Impact on the NBA

Giannis has been in the NBA for a little over 6 years now, and in that time, he has had a massive impact on the league. When he first came into the league, he was a raw, but talented, prospect. Now, he is one of the best players in the world and has led the Milwaukee Bucks to the best record in the NBA. Giannis is a once-in-a-generation talent, and the NBA is better because of him.

His Rookie Year

Giannis entered the NBA in 2013 as a raw but extremely talented prospect. He was drafted 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks, and he immediately began to make an impact on the court. In his rookie year, Giannis averaged 6.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 49.5 percent from the field. He also displayed his incredible athleticism and potential with some highlight-reel dunks and blocks. Giannis quickly became a fan favorite in Milwaukee, and he showed promise as a future star in the league.

His Sophomore Year

Giannis Antetokounmpo made a huge impact during his sophomore year in the NBA. He was named the Most Improved Player and led the Milwaukee Bucks to the playoffs. Giannis averaged 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. He was also named to the All-Star team and won a gold medal with the Greek national team at the FIBA World Cup.

His Junior Year

In his junior year, he played in 77 games with the Bucks, averaging 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.9 blocks in 34.7 minutes per game while shooting 52.1 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from three-point range. He was named an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. He was also named the NBA’s Most Improved Player and was a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year Award.