Giannis Antetokounmpo tells the most hearbtreaking story about his youth

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s story is so amazing that it’s even poised to have its own movie. The Greek Freak overcame all sorts of adversities and beat the odds to go from a street vendor to one of the most highly-coveted players in NBA history.

Now known as the back-to-back MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, the 25-year-old forward once had to share a pair of sneakers with all his brothers so they could all practice and work on their basketball skills.

That’s why ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reached out to him to tell his true story from the beginning, putting together a 3-episode Podcast called ‘The Giannis Draft’ in which he digs deep into his struggles growing up.

Giannis Admits He Couldn’t Even Afford Food Sometimes

One of the toughest moments on the Podcast is when Giannis Antetokounmpo reflects on how sometimes he had to endurebasketball trainingwith an empty stomach and how he would eat just one meal per day when things got rough:

“Looking back with the way we eat, the way we take care of bodies, we didn’t eat enough, not me not my brothers. I went to school, no breakfast, come home sometimes food, sometimes no food, then practice until 11 then I have my first meal,” Giannis said.

That’s one of the many reasons why Giannis is such an admirable person. His work ethic is almost unmatched, even by NBA standards, and his humbleness off the court comes from how much he had to endure growing up.

see also

Ringless: NBA teams that haven't won a championship yet

Now, The Milwaukee Bucks superstar is eligible to sign the largest contract extension in NBA history and make north of $225 million, but we can be sure that – even if he ends up signing it – he’ll be the same down-to-earth and easy-going kind of guy he’s always been.