‘Now I Know Who I Am’: Giannis Antetokounmpo Makes An Epic First Trip Home

As an NBA champion, the game of basketball has taken Giannis Antetokounmpo all around the globe, not only in terms of physical presence but also in regards to influence. But out of all the places that the superstar athlete has touched down in, there was one locale that was calling him, a country that he'd never been: Nigeria.

While the world knows Antetokounmpo for his Greek nationality, popularly touted as the "Greek Freak," a nickname he's embraced, those closest to him call him "Ugo." It's the star's Nigerian name, as he's the son of parents Charles and Veronica Adetokunbo. They immigrated from Lagos to Athens, having to change their surname to Antetokounmpo in the process, and there, the star and three of his four brothers were born.

Since then, the Greek-Nigerian has accomplished plenty,going from playing in youth clubs in Athens to being drafted into the NBA, becoming a champion in 2021 and being named one of the league's greatest players of all time as part of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. But in all those years, his 29 years specifically, he'd never been home home.

So this past summer, after missing out on the chance to visit Nigeria in 2020 due to the pandemic, Antetokounmpo and his mom, Vera, made the trek to his father's land. For his first trip to Lagos, the star was also accompanied by a film crew, including director Rick Famuyiwa, himself the son of Nigerian immigrants, to capture the experience for a new documentary done with WhatsApp, with whom Antetokounmpo has a partnership