Antetokounmpo Family Arrives In United States
by Spencer Pulliam, Future150 (6:01 PM CT, Sun February 9, 2014)

Milwaukee, WI (Future150) -- It was less than a year ago that Giannis Antetokounmpo was an unknown to even the most avid basketball fan.

The former Greek professional basketball player of Nigerian descent was raised with his three brothers in the most desperate of situations before the Milwaukee Bucks made him the fifteenth pick of the 2013 NBA Draft last June.

Multiple media outlets have reported that the entire Antetokounmpo family lived illegally in Greece, without documentation, until the oldest sibling, Thanasis, earned recognition for his athletic abilities, ultimately leading to the family gaining Greek citizenship.

For the most part, it is a true 'rags to riches' tale, with Thanasis now playing in the NBA's D-League and Giannis having a fairly successful rookie campaign.

However, until recently, heartache and headaches remained as Antetokounmpo's parents and two younger siblings had been unable to secure Visas to permanently live in the United States.

The oldest Antetokounmpo brothers are living in the United States through the use of a 'P-1 Visa', specialized for foreign athletes being paid for their talents stateside.

Only weeks ago, the U.S. Embassy in Greece allowed the Antetokounmpo family to move to the United States through the use of an adjoining 'P Visa', qualifying them as 'support personnel' to Giannis.

The long process which began months ago, culminated last Monday night in Milwaukee as Antetokounmpo's parents, Charles and Veronica, took in the Bucks home game versus the Knicks along with younger siblings Kostas and Alexandros.

And with such basketball bloodlines, it is only a matter of time before six-foot-six (and growing), sixteen year-old Kostas and five-foot-ten (and really growing), twelve year-old Alexandros make their own name in the game.

Both are expected to compete this summer with the Nike-sponsored Playground Elite program and have attended recent workouts.

Kostas is expected to enroll in school Monday, February 10, as a member of the 2016 class in the United States and will compete as a rising junior on the 17U E.Y.B.L. circuit.

Alexandros is said to be enrolling as a sixth grader at a nearby middle school but will participate on the circuit in an older grade level, competing with Playground Elite's featured seventh grade team.

While this news is still developing, the bigger picture is that a family has been reunited and are living comfortably largely in thanks to the sport of basketball, and an excellent group of advisors around them.

JrFuture150.com will have more on this story as the Antetokounmpo family settles in to their new life in the United States.