Thanasis Antetokounmpo Bio
Thanasis Antetokounmpo is a Nigerian-Greek professional basketball player who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born on July 18, 1992, in Athens, Greece, he is listed at 6 feet 7 inches and plays both small forward and power forward. Thanasis has won two Greek League championships with Panathinaikos and an NBA championship with the Bucks in 2021. He is also widely known as the older brother of two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Across more than a decade as a professional, Thanasis Antetokounmpo has built a steady career through stints in Greece, Spain, and the United States, including time in the NBA Development League. A defensive-minded forward with a flair for highlight plays, he has represented the Greek national team in multiple FIBA tournaments.
Early Life and Background
Athanasios Rotimi Antetokounmpo was born in Athens to Nigerian parents Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo, the second of five boys. He grew up in the Athens neighborhood of Sepolia, in a household shaped by two very different sporting backgrounds. His late father, Charles, was a soccer player, while his mother, Veronica, is a former high jumper. The parents come from different Nigerian ethnic groups, with Charles of Yoruba heritage and Veronica of Igbo heritage, and his mother gave each of her four sons born in Greece both a Greek and a Nigerian name.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo first picked up basketball through the youth ranks of Filathlitikos in 2008, working his way up through the club’s junior teams. He later featured for the senior men’s team of Filathlitikos in the semi-professional Greek fourth division during the 2010–11 season. That pathway from local youth court to senior roster laid the groundwork for his transition into the professional game.
Off the court, he officially gained Greek citizenship on May 9, 2013, with his family’s last name officially registered as Antetokounmpo. His older brother Francis plays soccer professionally, while his younger brothers Kostas and Alex also trained with Filathlitikos and went on to careers in professional basketball.
Path to Basketball
Thanasis Antetokounmpo moved into professional basketball in 2011 with Filathlitikos, where he played in the Greek 3rd Division. During the 2012–13 season, he averaged 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, drawing attention from coaches around the Greek leagues. He was selected to take part in the 2013 Greek All-Star Game as a special participant and competed in the league’s slam dunk contest.
He originally declared for the 2013 NBA draft alongside his younger brother Giannis but withdrew on June 17, 2013. His D-League trajectory began on November 1, 2013, when he was selected by the Delaware 87ers with the ninth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Development League Draft. On June 26, 2014, he was selected with the 51st overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, beginning the chapter that would take him into the NBA.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo Career
Early Career (2011–2014)
Thanasis Antetokounmpo opened his professional career with Filathlitikos between 2011 and 2013 before joining the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Development League for the 2013–14 season. In his D-League debut on November 23, 2013, he posted 14 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists against the Canton Charge. Over 50 games with Delaware, he averaged 12.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks, and on May 1, 2014, he was named to the 2014 NBA D-League All-Defensive Third Team.
His strong defensive play earned him a place on the All-Defensive Third Team in his first D-League season, and he also competed in the 2014 NBA D-League Slam Dunk Contest. That same summer, the New York Knicks selected him with the 51st pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, setting up his move to the Westchester Knicks for the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons.
Westchester Knicks and New York Knicks (2014–2016)
After joining the Westchester Knicks on November 3, 2014, Thanasis Antetokounmpo posted averages of 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks across 47 games. On April 22, 2015, he was named to the 2015 NBA D-League All-Defensive Second Team, recognizing his growth as a perimeter defender and rebounder.
Following summer league stints with the Knicks, he signed with New York on August 7, 2015, but was waived in October after three preseason games. On January 29, 2016, he signed a 10-day contract with the Knicks and made his NBA debut that night, scoring two points in two minutes against the Phoenix Suns. After the Knicks declined to renew his contract, he returned to the Westchester Knicks in February 2016.
Andorra and Panathinaikos (2016–2019)
On August 8, 2016, Thanasis Antetokounmpo signed with MoraBanc Andorra of the Spanish Liga ACB. He played a key role as Andorra qualified for the ACB playoffs for the first time in 22 years, averaging 7.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in the regular season and lifting his averages to 12.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in the postseason. The Spanish magazine Gigantes del Basket awarded him the 2017 Top 5 Trophy as the league’s Most Spectacular Player.
On July 11, 2017, he returned to Greece and signed a two-year deal with Panathinaikos, one of the most storied clubs in European basketball. He was named MVP of the 2018 Greek All-Star Game, won the 2017–18 Greek League championship after a five-game finals series against Olympiacos, and was named Greek League Most Spectacular Player. In 2019, he added the Greek Cup after Panathinaikos defeated PAOK 79–73 in the final, and on June 14, 2019, he clinched a second straight Greek League title with a sweep of Promitheas.
Milwaukee Bucks Era (2019–2024)
On July 16, 2019, Thanasis Antetokounmpo signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, reuniting with his brother Giannis. He was part of the Bucks team that won the 2021 NBA championship in six games over the Phoenix Suns, with Giannis earning Finals MVP. He re-signed with Milwaukee on a two-year deal on August 13, 2021, and on April 10, 2022, he recorded a career-high 27 points with five rebounds, two assists, and a block against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
During the 2022–23 season, he was involved in an on-court altercation with Boston Celtics forward Blake Griffin on March 30, 2023, and was suspended one game without pay. After re-signing on a one-year deal on July 28, 2023, he appeared in 34 games during the 2023–24 season, recording 32 total points on 16-of-30 shooting. A viral clip of his Shammgod move against the Charlotte Hornets on February 10, 2024, brought him a wave of new attention before he suffered a torn Achilles tendon, requiring surgery announced on May 8.
Return to Milwaukee (2025–Present)
After missing the 2024–25 NBA season while recovering from his torn Achilles, Thanasis Antetokounmpo re-signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on a one-year contract on August 31, 2025. Later in 2025, his younger brother Alex signed a two-way deal with Milwaukee, marking the first time in NBA franchise history that three brothers, Giannis, Thanasis, and Alex, appeared on the same team.
Driving Style and Strengths
Thanasis Antetokounmpo is known as an athletic, defensive-minded forward whose length and quickness make him effective on the perimeter and as a helper defender. He has earned NBA D-League All-Defensive honors in back-to-back seasons and built his reputation in Europe as a high-energy finisher, highlighted by two Greek League Most Spectacular Player awards.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include his NBA debut on January 29, 2016, his 2021 NBA championship with the Bucks, and a career-high 27 points against Cleveland on April 10, 2022. His Greek All-Star Game MVP awards in 2018 and 2019, along with the 2017 Spanish ACB Top 5 Trophy, also stand out as defining achievements.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo Career Wins
Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s career win portfolio spans team titles across Europe’s top leagues and the NBA, complemented by individual defensive and spectacular-play awards.
Greek League Highlights
He captured back-to-back Greek League championships with Panathinaikos in 2018 and 2019, pairing each title with the Greek League Most Spectacular Player award. He also lifted the 2019 Greek Cup after Panathinaikos’ 79–73 win over PAOK in the Grand Final.
NBA Highlights
Thanasis Antetokounmpo won the 2021 NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks, part of a roster headlined by his younger brother Giannis. His most recent NBA win column entry came during the 2023–24 season before his Achilles injury.
Other Wins & Performances
With MoraBanc Andorra in 2016–17, he helped the club reach the Liga ACB playoffs for the first time in 22 years and earned the 2017 Top 5 Trophy as Spain’s Most Spectacular Player. Internationally, he has represented Greece at the 2016 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, EuroBasket 2017, 2022 FIBA EuroBasket, the 2019 and 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, and the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
The Antetokounmpo family has deep sporting roots that bridge two countries. His late father Charles played soccer, while his mother Veronica competed as a high jumper in Nigeria. His oldest brother, Francis, followed their father’s path and plays soccer professionally.
Personal Life
Thanasis Antetokounmpo and his longtime partner Katia have three daughters. He is the older brother of Giannis, the two-time NBA MVP and Bucks teammate, as well as Kostas and Alex, both of whom have played professionally in the NBA, NBA G League, and Europe. While Giannis has long been nicknamed the Greek Freak, Thanasis has been called Greek Freak 2 in some circles, though his own nickname is the Greek Streak.
2025 Season Performance
Thanasis Antetokounmpo returned to the Milwaukee Bucks on a one-year contract on August 31, 2025, after missing the 2024–25 season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. The move brought him back alongside his brother Giannis as the Bucks looked to maintain veteran depth on the wing.
The 2025 offseason also delivered a family milestone when his youngest brother Alex signed a two-way deal with Milwaukee, creating the first trio of brothers, Giannis, Thanasis, and Alex, to appear on the same NBA roster in league history. That backdrop gave Thanasis a clear storyline heading into the season, combining personal comeback with a memorable family chapter.
On the court, Thanasis is expected to fill a defensive and energy role off the bench as he works back to full strength. With the Bucks’ deep forward rotation and the spotlight that comes with the Antetokounmpo family story, his 2025 campaign is set to be defined as much by presence and leadership as by scoring output.
