Charles Antetokounmpo is the father of the famous NBA player Giannis Antetokounmp who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis was very close to his father and dedicated his first NBA championship in 2021 to him.
As we all know, fame doesn’t come easily; Giannis had another injury, reportedly on 25 February 2023, while playing against Miami Heat, he knocked knees with an opponent.
Consequently, he missed Buck’s 104-101 victory over the Suns with what the team is describing as a bruised right quadriceps.
We are here to discuss this NBA star’s father more than his sons.
Born in Nigeria and later moved to a different country, this guy did his best to give his children a better future.
Let’s quickly look at some facts about the father of stars.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Charles Adetokunbo (Antetokounmpo) |
| Birth Date | August 3, 1963 |
| Age At The Time Of Death | 54 Years Old |
| Death Date | September 29, 2017 |
| Cause Of Death | Heart Attack |
| Birth Place | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | Greek |
| Ethnicity | Yoruba |
| Horoscope | Leo |
| Father’s Name | Not available |
| Mother’s Name | Not available |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Veronica Antetokounmpo |
| Children’s Name |
|
| Grandchildren’s Name | Liam Charles Antetokounmpo |
| Height | 6 ft / 183 cm / 1.83 cm |
| Weight | 89 kg / 196 lb |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Shoe Size | 12 US |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | Former Soccer Player |
| Last Update | March 2024 |
Early Life & Marriage
Charles Antetokounmpo was born on August 3, 1963, in Nigeria.
Born in the Nigerian ethnic group Yoruba, he spent most of his early years in Nigeria and later migrated to Greece.
Charles’s father’s and mother’s names, education, college, and other details are unavailable.
He married his loving wife, Veronica Antetokoumpo, in Nigeria. However, the exact date of their wedding has not been revealed, but they were married in the presence of family, relatives, and elders.
Conversely, Veronica belongs to the Igbo ethnic group in Nigeria. In addition, she is also a former athlete who used to participate in high jump competitions.
First Child & Immigration
Charles Antetokoumpo fathered his first child Francis Antetokounmpo in Laos, Nigeria, on October 20, 1988.
They immigrated to Athens, Greece, to improve their lifestyle.
For the time being, they left their child Francis under the care of their grandparents back in Nigeria. But after a few years, Francis, too, moved to Greece with his parents.
In Greece
Though they traveled to Greece seeking a better lifestyle, they did not have their envisioned lifestyle. Living where they were the only black household, they faced severe racism.
After moving to Greece in 1992, he had a second child, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who later made a massive name in basketball.
Furthermore, after two years, he had a now-legendary basketball player, The Greek Freak Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Charles, the father of Giannis Antetokounmpo, worked various odd jobs to support his family, whereas his wife Veronica worked as a babysitter.
Thanasis and his younger brother Giannis assisted their parents financially by peddling handbags, watches, and sunglasses in the streets.
Charles often starved himself to feed his children. He did his best to provide for his children.
In 1997, he had his other child Kostas Antetokounmpo; later, in 2001, he had his youngest son Alex Antetokounmpo.
Both of them are prominent figures in basketball.
Even after living in Greece for many years and having four children there, they could not still obtain citizenship.
As a result, they remained without citizenship for many years, unable to travel to another country.
Adetokunbo To Antetokounmpo
Giannis gained Greek citizenship in 2013, less than two months before the 2013 NBA Draft.
However, the Adetokunbo was mistranslated into Antetokounmpo while being translated into Greek.
All of his family members changed their surname to Antetokounmpo as a result of this, giving them a distinctive surname.
Who Are ‘The Antetokounmpo Brothers’?
We talked a lot about these brothers without comprehending how they have made their father hold his head high.
So let’s take a look at The Antetokounmpo Brothers.
Francis Antetokounmpo
Francis is Charles’s firstborn. He was born on October 20, 1988. To give him a better future, they migrated to Greece, leaving him in Nigeria with his grandparents for a few years.
He played basketball at a semi-professional level and also played professional soccer.
Though he is not as famous as his brothers, he has explored himself more than anybody else. He has indulged himself in musical pursuits as well.
On July 22, 2020, Francis released his first single, ‘Shekoshi.’
On February 9, 2023, he updated his Instagram post to release another version of Rise, an afro banger, in which Nikolas Kontoudakis have done videography.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Nicknamed ‘The Greek Streak,’ Thanasis is a professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA.
He started his professional career with Filathlitikos, averaging 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game.
Thanasis was selected 51st overall in the 2014 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. However, he made his NBA debut two years later, in 2016.
In 2019, he signed with Milwaukee Bucks, reunited with his brother Giannis, and jointly won the 2021 NBA Finals with the Bucks.
On February 1, 2023, Thanasis posted a reel about his new podcast named ‘Thanalysis,’ in which Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of the popular social media Reddit and the beloved husband of Serena Williams, cheekily commented, “Yooo when am I coming on???” to which Thanasis replied “soon.”
Fans are already excited about his new venture.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis is the most accomplished brother out of five, having won back-to-back NBA Most Valuable Player awards in 2019 and 2020. Aside from LeBron James and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, he is the only player to win it before turning 26.
The MVP was drafted 15th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by Milwaukee Bucks. He is a member of the Bucks alongside his brother Thanasis and has been named to All-Star Game seven times.
Because of his stature, quickness, ball-handling abilities, and height of 2.13 meters, Giannis was nicknamed Greek Freak.
Milwaukee Bucks offered him the largest contract in NBA history during the contract extension of 2020.
He signed a contract worth $228.2 for a 5-year, with a 2025 player option included.
Giannis led the Bucks to their first championship in 50 years in the 2021 NBA final.
The Bucks’ star averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks throughout the series and was unanimously crowned NBA Finals MVP. He is the youngest Finals MVP since Kawhi Leonard in 2014.
He was honored as the league’s greatest player of all time after being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in the same year.
Based on the life of Antetokounmpo and his family, the biopic Rise was released in 2022.
He was named the Eastern Conference captain for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game on January 23, 2023.
He surpassed Paul Pressey for the most assists in Bucks franchise history on February 16.
While playing against Miami Heat on 25 February 2023, he knocked his knee with an opponent, which led him to come out of the game in the first quarter.
Consequently, he missed Buck’s 104-101 victory over the Suns with what the team is describing as a bruised right quadriceps.
He had sprained his wrist on February 16 as the Bucks won against Chicago, their last game before the All-Star break.
Kostas Antetokounmpo
When Giannis started playing for the Bucks, his family moved to the United States in 2013, and Kostas attended Dominican High School for his junior and senior years.
In his senior year, Kostas was a member of their basketball team and helped them win the state championship.
Philadelphia 76ers drafted Kostas as the final pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. However, he was later traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
Later the Los Angeles Lakers claimed Antetokounmpo off waivers on July 22, 2019. In 2020, he played five games throughout the season but was not selected for the final match.
However, the Lakers won the championship that season, defeating Miami Heat, making Kostas the first Greek player to win the NBA championship.
After that, he played for teams like ASVEL, Windy City Bulls, and Fenerbahce. Kostas is playing for the Fenerbahce Beko of the Turkish Basketball Super League.
Alex Antetokounmpo
Alex is the youngest child, thirteen years younger than Francis. After his family moved to the United States in 2013, Alex attended St. Monica School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin.
Alex finished high school at Dominican High School like his older brother Kostas. Kostas was a two-time All-State basketball player for his high school.
Due to his basketball skills, he got scholarships from DePaul, Ohio, and Green Bay. However, he dropped out of college to begin his professional career in the Liga ACB of Spain.
Furthermore, he joined the Sacramento Kings for the 2021 NBA Summer League after going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft. The Kings went on to win the NBA Summer League in 2021.
He was named to the opening night roster for the Wisconsin Herd in the NBA G League on November 3, 2022.
Family Value Through The Eye Of Giannis
Human embodiments of dedication, hope, and hard work, Giannis’ work ethic, mental makeup, and the story have built the ‘Giannis effect’ around America.
Finding Giannis
A skinny guy playing in Greece was far from the build a basketball player needs to have. However, he showed and made himself known to the agents from where his career took a turn with his skill.
The first goal in generating the chance was to build his body by increasing his diet, but it was difficult to ask in a massive household with many mouths to feed and a limited income.
On the other hand, his family did everything they could to provide him with whatever he needed and to remove the obstacles, for which he expresses his eternal gratitude.
With solely his play in Greece and little help from agents, he soon gained the attention of the NBA team.
Into the Unknown
In 2013, he was drafted by Milwaukee Bucks; however, he wasn’t an enthusiast of the news. His family couldn’t come, and he could care less about NBA and prioritized his family over it.
Whoever he was, it was all because of his family, and he couldn’t simply abandon them and settle down in America.
However, his father persuaded and encouraged him, stating that this opportunity might benefit their family, and thankfully he accepted his father’s advice and returned to the US.
He once said, “My family sacrificed a lot of things that gave me the opportunity to be here, and I can’t thank them enough every day.”
In the absence of his family and living in an unknown country, he was vulnerable and scared and would sleep in the gym because he had no reason to go home. Giannis didn’t want to go home because he was alone.
It was stressful because he was unsure if his family could accompany him.
In addition, his family visa was declined twice out of three opportunities. He stated if this happened the third time and his family couldn’t come, he would quit America.
Soaring To The Top
More than being drafted into the NBA, his family’s arrival on Visa was a pivotal moment for him.
His jersey number, 34, is based on his parent’s birth year, as his father was born in 1963 and his mother in 1964.
His unparalleled work ethic, character, and family values are the main reasons for his success, and his parents are primarily responsible for instilling these qualities in him.
Charles Antetokounmpo Death
Unfortunately, the person who guided Giannis to be a man of character died at 54 on September 20, 2017. Sadly, he didn’t see his son become the Most Valuable Player in the NBA.
Charles unexpectedly died of a heart attack at his home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This news brought a great shock to the Antetokounmpo family.
They believe that winning and losing don’t matter, but what matters the most is living up to their father’s legacy. So the brothers’ primary goal is to fulfill their father’s legacy.
Popularity Graph
Charles Antetokounmpo was the father of five of his sons, known as the Antetokounmpo Brothers. They all earned fame after their successful basketball career.
The popularity graph shows the wavelength from the past 12 months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Where is Giannis Antetokounmpo's father buried?
Charles Antetokounmpo, the father of Giannis Antetokounmpo, was buried in Forest Home Cemetary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. He died on September 29, 2017 at the age of 54.
Has Giannis Antetokounmpo ever played basketball for Greece?
Giannis represented Greece in 2013 for the Greek Under-20 national team at the FIBA Europe Under-20 Championship. He also played for the senior men's Greek national basketball team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. He went on to play in 2015 and 2019 and the Turin FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2016.
How many grandchildren does Late Charles Antetokounmpo have?
Late Charles Antetokounmpo has only two grandchildren. Giannis is father to two sons, Liam, and Maverick Shai, with his girlfriend, Mariah Riddlesprigger.
I’m very touched reading this bio and I wanna give a big kudos to the legend Charles Adetokunbo, I wish I was born into a family such as brave as this, nevertheless, I’m very motivated and I’ll do anything to my family united even if I’m not yet up to my expectations
I’m proud of you guys for given us Nigerians reasons for fight for a better future
Please go and watch RISE (2022) Movie. A true story based on the adetokunbos.
I actually had to read about them after watching the movie. Was curious to know if it was true life story. A move worth watching.
Very very interesting, when I was going through that story, I felt of crying seriously, is a heart touching story. I also thank the almighty God for giving them the Grace to finish to the end.and I also believe that he will give me the Grace he give to them. I really thank God for these achievement over their life. great great great
I love his father statement “ when a person in the family wins, the whole family does”. A heart filling story 🫶🏾
It was the movie that made me know the story and I came online after the movie to read the story also.
This family is what it is because of God and the courage of their parents. They stood in the face of adversity and didn’t slack in ensuring to build confidence and unity amongst the children. This is the reason all of them have a pact in basketball today. It only took one of them to be drafted in and today they all are all up there. Indeed “if one person wins, the whole family is a winner”.