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Antetokounmpo: 'World's Opinion Didn't Feed Me as a Child, My Parents Did'
🇬🇷 Greece /Culture & Society

Antetokounmpo: 'World's Opinion Didn't Feed Me as a Child, My Parents Did'

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Interview Sources not specified Context piece
  • NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo shared personal struggles with mental health and the pressures of fame at a Stavros Niarchos Foundation event.
  • He discussed overcoming a difficult period around 2020, following his father's death and becoming a new father, which led him to seek help from a sports psychologist.
  • Antetokounmpo emphasized the importance of hard work, family, and the joy of the game, stating that external opinions never provided him support during his childhood struggles.

NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has spoken candidly about the immense pressures he has faced, both on and off the basketball court. During an event hosted by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, the Greek athlete detailed his journey through difficult periods, including his childhood struggles and a particularly challenging time around 2020.

I feel that mentally I am unbreakable.

— Giannis AntetokounmpoDescribing his mental resilience after overcoming challenges.

Antetokounmpo revealed that he contemplated stepping away from basketball during that period. The weight of his father's recent death, the birth of his child, and the responsibility of being a paternal figure to his younger brother, all while striving to be one of the world's best athletes, created overwhelming pressure. He sought the guidance of a sports psychologist to develop coping mechanisms.

My father passed away. I had just become a dad. My mom lives with me, with my little brother. I had to become a father figure for my brother because we just lost... we just lost our father, and in reality, I had to become a father to my son, while at the same time I had to become one of the best athletes in the world, and all this entails enormous pressure.

— Giannis AntetokounmpoExplaining the immense pressure he felt around 2020.

"I feel that mentally I am unbreakable," Antetokounmpo stated, reflecting on how this experience ultimately strengthened him. He believes it made him a better father, husband, son, and person, bringing clarity to his life. He also contrasted the support he received from his parents with the opinions of the public, noting that external views never sustained him during his youth.

I will try to talk to a sports psychologist so that I can improve and develop this coping mechanism, psychological coping so that I can manage everything that happens in my life, but that moment made me who I am today.

— Giannis AntetokounmpoDetailing his decision to seek professional help.

"The opinion of the world did not feed me when I was young; my father and my mother did," he asserted. Antetokounmpo reiterated his commitment to a strong work ethic and a positive mindset, principles that he credits for his success and resilience. He concluded by emphasizing that these two challenging moments in his life have shaped him into the person he is today.

The opinion of the world did not feed me when I was young; my father and my mother did. And now I will just continue to have this mentality, that is, okay, work ethic and the mentality of hard work will guide me in the future.

— Giannis AntetokounmpoHighlighting the importance of family support over public opinion.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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