What Is the AntetokounBros Academy Set Up by Giannis Antetokounmpo and His Brothers?
Giannis Antetokounmpo may have watched the NBA Finals from home this year, but the NBA MVP got more than enough on his plate. He and his brothers — most of whom are in the NBA as well — keep themselves busy serving their communities.
They’re all active in community charity work in their adopted American homes. During the offseason, though, their love for Greece takes hold. They spend a lot of their off-hours working on the AntetokounBros Academy with sponsors. So what is this organization?
The Antetokounmpo brothers live for basketball
The Antetokounmpo brothers are all talented athletes. Most of them made it to the NBA and are currently active. Giannis is, of course, by far the most successful and famous. But each has accomplished incredible things in sports, as The U.S. Sun:
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo plays for the Bucks alongside Giannis. He’s a reliable pick to enter games off the bench since joining the team in 2019.
- Alex Antetokounmpo is the youngest brother. He started his career playing Euroleague ball with UCAM Murcia before switching gears to join the NBA G League with the Raptors 905.
- The Philadelphia 76ers drafted Kostas Antetokounmpo in 2018. He has played for several NBA teams since, most notably the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020. He currently plays for ASVEL Basket in the Euroleague.
- Francis Antetokounmpo is the oldest brother. He spent much of his childhood in Nigeria, living with his grandparents. Francis is a rapper these days, but he played soccer professionally as a midfielder for a second-tier team in Greece after mo there to be with his family.
The Antetokounmpo brothers work hard to elevate Greek youth basketball
During their spare time, the Antetokounmpo brothers unite to help young Greek basketball players get their chance to shine. ClutchPoints reports that the talented siblings joined up with Nike, the Onassis Foundation, and the EuroHoops Organization to found the AntetokounBros Academy.
According to the AntetokounBros official website, the Athens-based foundation focuses on disadvantaged youth from all gender, racial, and religious backgrounds. It gives kids who came up poor, like the Antetokounmpos did, a fair shot at proving themselves on the court. While the program is focused on developing basketball skills for both players and budding coaches, it also provides services for developing life skills.
According to the Academy, their third and most recent season wraps this month. The Onassis Foundation notes that the season is designed to help 100 players and 12 coaches develop game and life skills. The goal is for these talented kids to focus and move up to the next level in the basketball ecosystem.
The AntetokounBros brand goes beyond their academy
The AntetokounBros brand is built on helping disadvantaged teens. But it’s not limited to that one practice. The brothers also set up an official shop to sell shirts, bags, and more carrying their branding.
Even as they all develop their professional careers, mostly on separate teams, the brothers insist on working together. It’s clear Giannis is the best player by far. But that never seems to matter. He, and they, move as a singular family unit.
That attitude is uniquely perfect for setting up a project like the AntetokounBros Academy, as well as expanding the brand well beyond the playing days of any of the brothers involved.
