By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Thanasis, Giannis Kostas, and Alex Antetokounmpo participate in the closing ceremony of the Antetokounmpo Academy revealing plans for the future At the closing ceremony of the AntetokounBros Academy, the Antetokounmpo brothers, Thanasis, Giannis, Kostas and Alex, announced plans for expansion and more way beyond basketball courts.
A fan inquiring about a significant moment in the career of Giannis, it would be difficult to narrow down to one specifically. At the top, the NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 and his emotional reaction. Or the breathtaking dunk over Tim Hardaway Jr. against the New York Knicks! Memories of his achievements are countless.
For Greek Freak himself, but also Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex, all these do not matter. Or perhaps have something in common, the surrounding emotions and something desirable, the value of each moment and usage off the floor. Giannis along with his brothers Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex were at the closing ceremony of the season at AntetokounBros Academy at Deree.
They revealed the decision to change the name from AntetokounBros Academy to Antetokounmpo Academy. The four brothers, along with Giannis’ partner Mariah, who spoke to the kids, and his mother Veronica, who was honored during the ceremony, watched friendly games between athletes of this season and alumni.
They also awarded nine scholarships: six basketball scholarships awarded annually to athletes for participation in basketball academies within Attica, two university scholarships for undergraduate studies in Greece provided by the American College of Greece (covering the full duration of the university studies per year), and one scholarship for a junior coach at the Eurohoops Academy.
All of these initiatives aim to help the recipients become the best versions of themselves. The closing ceremony of the Antetokounmpo Academy is a pro bono program to support and lift vulnerable communities by Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation (CAFF), supported by Nike, Deree, Ergon, Bioiatriki, Kaizen Foundation, and operated by Eurohoops, included friendly games, awards, motivational speeches and the four brothers announcing their off-court plans.
AntetokounBros Academy will expand to Milwaukee next month, while Thanasis, Giannis, Kostas and Alex talked about their family’s actions in aid of Nigeria. “We are trying to cover the gap that we faced growing up so nobody can remember what we did on the floor, but how I made the people feel! Everybody will remember our story, how our parents started from Nigeria, where we are now, and what we have accomplished,” stressed Giannis, “We all must do our best to leave our mark’.
“We want to provide and help society. Thanasis went first to Nigeria last year and told us that 200,000 people live without electricity,” explained the star of the Bucks, “When he returned, he showed me pictures and said that we were good in Athens compared to Nigeria’. “Then I went there as well, with my mother. We want to do something for the future. Our goal is to preserve the AntetokounBros Academy until my kids are old,” he went on, “We would not be able to go to school or to play basketball without fear, if we did not have the support of the community.”
“We were inspired by other families doing this for over 100 years and we want to leave our mark on the world. To give opportunities to kids that need them,” added Thanasis, “When we are on the court, we do not stop. The same applies for off the court. We want to constantly provide in the game of our lives. The kids of Antetokounbros Academy are us!”
“We want basketball to be the last thing that comes to mind when hearing our name,” said Alex, “We want to help the society.” “We did not have a problem with water,” continued Kostas, “We can now go home and have a shower for over 40 minutes. It is crazy that this problem persists in Nigeria and that is why we are taking this initiative in Nigeria, so more people have access to clean water.”