Kostas Antetokounmpo, born on November 20, 1997, in the gritty neighborhood of Sepolia in Athens, Greece, emerged as a professional basketball player.
The son of Nigerian immigrants, his father, Charles, a former soccer player who passed away in 2017, and his mother, Veronica, a former high jumper, Kostas grew up in a household steeped in athletic heritage.
Holding dual Greek and Nigerian citizenship, he navigated the complexities of identity while honing his skills on the courts of Filathlitikos’ junior teams in Athens.
His path took him to the United States for high school at Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, where he led his team to a state championship in his senior year, before committing to the University of Dayton for college basketball.
Siblings
Kostas is one of five brothers in the Antetokounmpo family.
The eldest, Francis, born in 1988, pursued a professional career in Germany and Greece but stepped away from the sport to focus on business ventures and family.
Thanasis, born in 1992, has been a steadfast presence in the NBA, playing alongside Kostas in the Milwaukee Bucks’ system and contributing as a role player known for his energy and loyalty.
The most celebrated sibling, Giannis, born in 1994, is the two-time NBA MVP and Finals MVP who led the Bucks to a championship in 2021, earning the moniker Greek Freak for his extraordinary athleticism and dominance.
The youngest, Alex, born in 2001, followed in their footsteps, debuting in the NBA with the Bucks and adding to the family’s legacy as a promising sharpshooter.
Together, the brothers made NBA history as the first trio to win championships, Kostas in 2020 with the Lakers, followed by Giannis and Thanasis in 2021.
Career
Kostas’s professional odyssey began in earnest with the 2018 NBA Draft, where he was selected 60th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers, though his rights were quickly traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
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Signing a two-way contract, he split time between the Mavericks and their G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, where he averaged 12.3 points and seven rebounds per game, earning the affectionate nickname Mr. Fantastic for his highlight-reel dunks.
His NBA debut came in March 2019, but after being waived that summer, opportunity struck when the Los Angeles Lakers claimed him off waivers on another two-way deal.
It was with the Lakers that Kostas etched his name in history, contributing defensively during the 2019–20 bubble season and appearing in 20 regular-season games while dominating in the G League with the South Bay Lakers.
Re-signed by the Lakers for the 2020–21 season, Kostas sought broader horizons abroad in 2021, joining ASVEL Basket in France’s top league and the EuroLeague, where he averaged 5.8 points across 26 games.
A brief stint with the Chicago Bulls in 2022 saw him waived before he could debut, leading to time with the Windy City Bulls in the G League and a move to Fenerbahçe in Turkey.
In 2023, he returned to Greece with Panathinaikos, reuniting with the club where his brother Thanasis had played, and helped secure the EuroLeague title.
Waived midway through the 2024–25 season, he finished strong with UCAM Murcia in Spain before signing a two-year deal with Olympiacos in July 2025, aiming to build on his European momentum.
Internationally, Kostas has donned the Greek jersey, earning a bronze medal at the 2016 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship Division B and competing in major tournaments like the 2022 EuroBasket.
Accolades
Kostas’ crowning achievement came in the 2020 NBA Finals, where he became the first Greek-born player to win an NBA championship as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, logging crucial minutes in the playoffs and embodying the grit of a deep bench contributor.
On the European stage, Kostas added the prestigious EuroLeague championship in 2024 with Panathinaikos, showcasing his growth as a reliable wing in high-stakes competition.
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