Kostas Antetokounmpo facts for kids
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Antetokounmpo with ASVEL Basket in 2022
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| No. 37 – Panathinaikos | |
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| Center | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | November 20, 1997 Sepolia, Athens, Greece |
| Nationality | Greek / Nigerian |
| High school | Dominican (Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin) |
| Listed height | 2.10 m (6 ft 10.68 in) |
| Listed weight | 100 kg (220 lb) |
| Career information | |
| College | Dayton (2017–2018) |
| NBA Draft | 2018 / Round: 2 / Pick: 60th overall |
| Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers | |
| Pro career | 2018–present |
| League | GBL EuroLeague |
| Career history | |
| 2018–2019 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2018–2019 | →Texas Legends |
| 2019–2021 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2019–2021 | →South Bay Lakers |
| 2021–2022 | ASVEL |
| 2022 | Windy City Bulls |
| 2022–2023 | Fenerbahçe |
| 2023–present | Panathinaikos |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Konstantinos Ndubuisi "Kostas" Antetokounmpo (born November 20, 1997) is a professional basketball player from Greece. He plays as a center for Panathinaikos in the Greek Basketball League (GBL) and the EuroLeague.
Kostas played college basketball for the Dayton Flyers. He was chosen as the 60th pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. His draft rights were then traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He achieved a major goal by winning an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
Kostas comes from a family of basketball stars. His brothers Giannis, Thanasis, and Alex are also professional basketball players.
Beyond basketball, Kostas and three of his brothers (Giannis, Thanasis, and Alex) also joined the ownership group of Nashville SC, a soccer team in the MLS.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Kostas Antetokounmpo was born in Sepolia, a neighborhood in Athens, Greece. His parents had moved there from Nigeria. His father, Charles, used to be a professional soccer player. His mother, Veronica, was a high jumper. Charles passed away in 2017 at the age of 54. His parents came from different groups in Nigeria: his father was Yoruba, and his mother is Igbo.
Kostas received a Nigerian passport in 2013. This helped him get a visa to legally enter the United States. He officially became a full Greek citizen in 2016.
He is the younger brother of basketball players Giannis and Thanasis. He is also the older brother of Alex. His oldest brother, Francis, plays professional soccer.
Kostas started playing basketball with junior teams at Filathlitikos in Athens.
High School Basketball Journey
After his older brother Giannis was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2013, Kostas and his family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He attended Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. He played high school basketball there during his junior and senior years. In his senior year, he helped lead his team to win a state championship.
College Basketball Experience
After high school, Antetokounmpo went on to play college basketball at the University of Dayton. During the 2016–17 season, his first year with the Flyers, he did not play in games. This is called being "red-shirted," which means he practiced with the team but saved his year of eligibility. He was considered a "partial qualifier" because he spent his first two years of high school in Greece.
He officially started playing in the 2017–18 season. He played about 15 minutes per game, scoring an average of 5.2 points and grabbing 2.9 rebounds. He also averaged 1.1 blocks per game.
Professional Basketball Career
Starting with the Dallas Mavericks (2018–2019)
On March 22, 2018, Kostas decided to enter the 2018 NBA draft. He was one of many players who took part in the NBA Draft Combine, where they show off their skills. Experts thought he might be picked in the second round, like his brother Thanasis.
He was the very last player chosen in the 2018 NBA draft. The Philadelphia 76ers picked him, but then immediately traded him to the Dallas Mavericks. On July 13, he signed a special contract that allowed him to play for both the Mavericks and their smaller team, the Texas Legends in the NBA G League. While playing for the Texas Legends, he averaged 12.3 points and 7 rebounds per game. He was even nicknamed "Mr Fantastic" by a radio announcer. Kostas made his first NBA appearance on March 20, 2019.
The Mavericks decided to release him on July 19, 2019.
Winning with the Los Angeles Lakers (2019–2021)
Just a few days later, on July 22, 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers picked up Kostas. He played in 5 games during that season. He scored a career-high 7 points in a game on August 13, 2020.
Kostas achieved a huge milestone when the Lakers won the NBA championship in 2020. They defeated the Miami Heat in six games. This made him the first Greek-born player to win an NBA championship. His brothers Giannis and Thanasis would go on to win their own championships with the Milwaukee Bucks the following season.
He signed another contract with the Lakers on November 26, 2020.
Playing in Europe with ASVEL (2021–2022)
On July 16, 2021, Kostas signed with ASVEL Villeurbanne, a team in France that plays in the French LNB Pro A league and the EuroLeague. In 26 EuroLeague games, he averaged 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds. He also blocked about 0.7 shots per game.
Brief Time with Chicago Bulls (2022)
On October 14, 2022, Kostas signed a contract with the Chicago Bulls. However, he was released by the Bulls on December 16, 2022, without playing in any NBA games for them.
Playing for Fenerbahçe (2022–2023)
Soon after, on December 19, 2022, Kostas signed with Fenerbahçe Beko in Turkey. This team plays in the Turkish Basketball Super League (BSL). In 14 EuroLeague games, he averaged 2.7 points and 0.8 rebounds. He left the club on June 20, 2023.
Joining Panathinaikos (2023–Present)
On June 22, 2023, Kostas signed a two-year contract with Panathinaikos in Greece. This team plays in the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. His older brother Thanasis had also played for Panathinaikos for two seasons before.
National Team Career
Representing Greece as a Junior
Kostas played for the junior Greek Under-20 national team. He competed in the 2016 FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship Division B. There, his team won a bronze medal. During that tournament, he averaged 1.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
Playing for the Senior Greek Team
Kostas has also played for the senior men's Greek national team. He participated in the 2020 Victoria FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament and the EuroBasket 2022.
See also
In Spanish: Kostas Antetokounmpo para niños
