Emily Files: For the past 13 years, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been synonymous with the Bucks and the City of Milwaukee. Then, recently, he was traded. But even though the Giannis era has come to an end, his impact on the city won't be forgotten. WUWM's Jimmy Gutierrez shares this essay about the global superstar who put Milwaukee back on the map.
Jimmy Gutierrez: Alright, I grew up a die-hard Bucks fan. I'm talking nosebleed seats at the Bradley Center, always chasing that eighth seed. And that's why I will never forget July 20th, 2021, when Giannis got fouled with just a few seconds left in game six of the NBA Finals.
Announcer: He has been magnificent at the line. 50 points. Only the seventh player in the history of...
Jimmy Gutierrez: This is the moment our Bucks won their first championship in 50 years. Bucks In 6, forever.
Announcer: Jerry West, LeBron James, Bob Pettit, and Giannis Antetokounpo...
Jimmy Gutierrez: I remember feeling like floating, like none of this was even real. Not just the championship, but that Giannis got us here. I still remember his draft day in 2013. Some unknown skinny kid from Greece coming to one of the smallest markets.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: I can jump. I can shoot. I can pass the ball. I can do everything on the court.
Jimmy Gutierrez: And learning about his story, how could I not root for him? Family of undocumented Nigerian immigrants, living in Greece, street vending to make ends meet, and then he got scouted to play basketball with the promise of something better. His family could only afford one pair of shoes, so he had to share with his older brother, Thanasis. But now he was in Milwaukee and maybe finally home. That first year, the Bucks were trash, maybe beyond trash, but there was hope. Rookie Giannis went toe-to-toe with everyone, the big ticket, LeBron, a young KD, Carmelo, they all tried him. He never flinched. As time went on, it felt like he discovered the city with new eyes, appreciative eyes, and it felt like we started to see ourselves that same way. At the time, there was a lot of talk about the Bucks leaving town. We needed a new state-of-the-art stadium to keep up with the rest of the league. With Giannis, there was promise that it was worth it to invest right here, on the back of a superstar.
Announcer: Wow, unbelievable. [Crowd cheering].
Jimmy Gutierrez: The no-look passes, the chase-down blocks, the mean-mugs. So many mean mugs. Dunking on heads, and dunking over heads.
Announcer: There's Middleton. Giannis trailing. The lob!
Jimmy Gutierrez: Then 2021 happened. We cruised to a No. 3 seed, starting the playoffs off by sweeping the Heat. Yeah, those Heats. We beat the Nets in an epic, seven-game series, destroying a super team in the process. We handled the Hawks, and then he gave us a Finals performance we'll never forget.
Announcer: Now Booker with Tucker on him. Throws it up for eight. Shot blocked by Antetokounmpo. What a block from Giannis! Knocked away and stolen by Holiday. Phoenix has to foul and Antetokounmpo throws it down.
Jimmy Gutierrez: This was for all the young fans in the nosebleeds from every era. This was for Bridgman, Moncrief, Lanier, Pressy, Marcus Johnson, Vin Baker, Big Dog, Ray Ray, Mike Redd, Bogut, Brendan Jennings. It was for Milwaukee. Giannis owns just about every franchise record. He's got murals all over the city. A statue is certainly on the way. He even got his own Disney movie, because you couldn't write a story like this. He gave us the Fiserv Forum, the Deer District, and maybe, most importantly, a new way for Milwaukee to see itself. So I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you, Giannis for it all, even the bad jokes.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: When the cows go out, where do they go? To the moovies! Knock, knock. Obama.
Reporter: Obama who?
Giannis Antetokounmpo: [Singing "All By Myself"] "Obama" self. What do you call a cow on the floor? Anybody know? Ground beef. That's it.
Emily Files: That piece was written and produced by WUWM's Jimmy Gutierrez.
As Milwaukee grieves the Bucks trading Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, people are reflecting on what he meant to the franchise and the city. WUWM’s Jimmy Gutierrez has this essay about the impact the kid from Greece had on Milwaukee — and how it was bigger than basketball.
I grew up a die-hard Bucks fan. I’m talking nosebleeds at the Bradley Center, always chasing that eighth seed. That’s why I’ll never forget July 20, 2021, when Giannis got fouled with just a few seconds left in game six of the finals.
This is the moment our Bucks won their first championship in 50 years. Bucks in six forever. I remember feeling like I was floating, like none of it was real. Not just the championship, in Milwaukee, but Giannis leading us here.
I still remember draft day in 2013. An unknown skinny 18-year old from Greece, coming to one of the smallest markets. Knowing nothing about him, I watched every low-def Youtube clip I could find. He played with force. And speed. He was a playmaker. And he played like he had something to prove, and everything to gain
Learning about his story, how could I not root for him? A family of undocumented Nigerian immigrants. Living in Greece, street vending to make ends meet. Then, he got scouted to play basketball with the promise of something better. The family could only afford one pair of shoes so he had to share with his older brother, Thanasis.
Jimmy Gutierrez: Alright, I grew up a die-hard Bucks fan. I'm talking nosebleed seats at the Bradley Center, always chasing that eighth seed. And that's why I will never forget July 20th, 2021, when Giannis got fouled with just a few seconds left in game six of the NBA Finals.
Announcer: He has been magnificent at the line. 50 points. Only the seventh player in the history of...
Jimmy Gutierrez: This is the moment our Bucks won their first championship in 50 years. Bucks In 6, forever.
Announcer: Jerry West, LeBron James, Bob Pettit, and Giannis Antetokounpo...
Jimmy Gutierrez: I remember feeling like floating, like none of this was even real. Not just the championship, in Milwaukee, but that Giannis got us here. I still remember his draft day in 2013. Some unknown skinny kid from Greece coming to one of the smallest markets.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: I can jump. I can shoot. I can pass the ball. I can do everything on the court.
Jimmy Gutierrez: Knowing nothing about him, I watched every low-def YouTube clip I could find.
Reporter: What is your goal for your career?
Giannis Antetokounmpo: I want to be an NBA player.
Jimmy Gutierrez: He was a playmaker, playing with force and speed, like he had something to prove and everything to gain. And learning about his story, how could I not root for him? Family of undocumented Nigerian immigrants, living in Greece, street vending to make ends meet, and then he got scouted to play basketball with the promise of something better. His family could only afford one pair of shoes, so he had to share with his older brother, Thanasis. But now he was in Milwaukee and maybe finally home. That first year, the Bucks were trash, maybe beyond trash, but there was hope. Rookie Giannis went toe-to-toe with everyone, the big ticket, LeBron, a young KD, Carmelo, they all tried him. He never flinched.
Announcer: The Bucks have not run a great deal of plays for him, if any at all. He has kept his head in it. John, he has had a remarkable rookie season for a 19-year-old.
Announcer John: Bought his mother a car. I like that part.
Jimmy Gutierrez: Each paycheck, he would send money back to his family in Greece. There's a story about him leaving Western Union and not having enough money in his bank account for a taxi ride back to the stadium. Now this is right before a game, so he starts sprinting down the street. It is freezing cold outside. A pair of season ticket-holders spot him and offer him a ride. He was ours to take care of. And it felt like only people in Milwaukee knew how special he was and how to pronounce his name.
Announcers: [Announcers struggling to pronounce Antetokounmpo].
Announcer: They're long. They're athletic. They're versatile, and they're led by Giannis [butchered pronounciation].
Jimmy Gutierrez: Soon they would all know his name and Milwaukee. As time went on, it felt like he discovered the city with new eyes, appreciative eyes, and it felt like we started to see ourselves that same way. At the time, there was a lot of talk about the Bucks leaving town. We needed a new state-of-the-art stadium to keep up with the rest of the league. With Giannis there was promise that it was worth it to invest right here on the back of a superstar.
Announcer: Wow, unbelievable. [Crowd cheering].
Jimmy Gutierrez: The no-look passes, the chase-down blocks, the mean-mugs. So many mean mugs. Dunking on heads and dunking over heads.
Announcer: There's Middleton. Giannis trailing. The lob!
Jimmy Gutierrez: The Bucks went from the worst record in the league, to the best. I used to watch every game expecting to win. Giannis transformed physically and mentally. Now it was his team and his city. We grieved with him when his dad, Charles, passed, who's buried in Milwaukee. And we celebrated all the wins from "most improved" to "MVP."
Giannis Antetokounmpo: I want to thank my amazing brothers. You know, I love you guys, man. I love you guys. You guys are my ride or die. You know, you guys are my role models, man. I look up to you guys. Thank you for everything you guys do for me, and I want to thank my amazing mom, my amazing mom.
Jimmy Gutierrez: This all happened as other Wisconsin sports heroes fell from grace. Giannis felt like the best of us, like he saw us. And when our hearts broke, his broke too.
News Anchor: Then Giannis delivered a message to the crowd.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: We want change. We want justice. And that's why we're out here. That's what we're going to do today. That's why I'm going to march with you guys, okay? [Crowd of Black Lives Matter protestors cheers].
Jimmy Gutierrez: Back on the court, all that winning didn't mean that there weren't heartbreaking playoff losses. But with him, a chip felt inevitable. Then 2021 happened. We cruised to a No. 3 seed, starting the playoffs off by sweeping the Heat. Yeah, those Heats. We beat the Nets in an epic, seven-game series, destroying a super team in the process. We handled the Hawks, and then he gave us a Finals performance we'll never forget.
Announcer: Now Booker with Tucker on him. Throws it up for eight. Shot blocked by Antetokounmpo. What a block from Giannis... Booker, the drive. Gets inside, leans in. Knocked away and stolen by Holiday. Phoenix has to foul and Antetokounmpo throws it down.
Jimmy Gutierrez: This was for all the young fans in the nosebleeds from every era. This was for Bridgman, Moncrief, Lanier, Pressy, Marcus Johnson, Vin Baker, Big Dog, Ray Ray, Mike Redd, Bogut, Brendan Jennings. It was for Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: This is why I love Milwaukee. This is why I chose to stay, because we celebrate together. It's been like this since day one. It's been like this is day one.
Jimmy Gutierrez: Giannis owns just about every franchise record. He's got murals all over the city. A statue is certainly on the way. He even got his own Disney movie, because you couldn't write a story like this. He gave us the Fiserv Forum, the Deer District, and maybe, most importantly, a new way for Milwaukee to see itself. So I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you, Giannis for it all, even the bad jokes.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: When the cows go out, where do they go? To the moovies! Knock, knock. Obama.
Reporter: Obama who?
Giannis Antetokounmpo: [Singing "All By Myself"] "Obama" self. What do you call a cow on the floor? Anybody know? Ground beef. That's it. There's 150,000 people watching you right now.
Drive Thru Attendant: Really?
Giannis Antetokounmpo: Yes. So can I have please a 50-piece Mac Mini. 50 exactly. Not 51, not 49. Chicken Minis, yes? 50. And let me have a large drink.
Joy Powers: That was an essay from WUWM's Jimmy Gutierrez.
And now he was in Milwaukee — maybe finally home. That first year, the Bucks were trash — beyond trash. But there was hope. Rookie Giannis went toe-to-toe with everyone: the Big Ticket, LeBron, a young KD, Carmelo. They all tried him. He never flinched.
He used to send money back to his family in Greece. There’s this famous story about him leaving Western Union, and not having enough money in his account for a taxi back to the stadium. Now, this is right before a game. He starts sprinting down the street and it’s freezing outside. A pair of season ticket-holders spot him and offer him a ride. He was ours to take care of.
And it felt like only people in Milwaukee knew how special he was, and how to pronounce his name. They’d all soon know his name. And Milwaukee.
He started to discover the city with new eyes — appreciative eyes. And it felt like we started to see ourselves the same way. At the time, there was a lot of talk about the Bucks leaving town and needing a new stadium to keep up with the league. With Giannis, there was the promise it was worth it to invest right here. On the back of a superstar.
The no-look passes, chase-down blocks, mean mugs — so many mean mugs — dunking on heads and dunking over heads.
The Bucks went from the worst record in the league to the best. I watched every game expecting to win. Giannis transformed physically and mentally. This was his team. And his city. We grieved with him when his dad Charles passed – he's buried in Milwaukee. And we celebrated all the wins. From most improved to MVP. This all happened as other Wisconsin sports heroes fell from grace. Giannis felt like the best of us. Like he saw us. And his heart broke with us.
On the court, all that winning didn’t mean there weren't heartbreaking playoff losses. But a chip felt inevitable with him. Then 2021 happened. We cruised to a 3 seed. Started the playoffs by sweeping the Heat — yeah, those Heat. Beat the Nets in an epic seven-game series, destroying a super-team in the process. Handled the Hawks. And then he gave us a finals performance we’ll never forget.
This was for all the young fans in the nosebleeds, from every era. This was for Bridgeman, Moncrief, Lanier, Pressey, Marques Johnson, Vin Baker, Big Dog, Ray Ray, Mike Redd, Bogut, Brandon Jennings. It was for Milwaukee.
Giannis owns just about every franchise record. He’s got murals all over the city. A statue is certainly on the way. He’s got his own Disney movie, because you couldn’t write a story like this. He gave us the Fiserv Forum. The Deer District. And a new way for Milwaukee to see itself.
Thank you Giannis for it all. Even the bad jokes.
