Basketball star of Nigerian descent wins NBA Defensive Player of the Year award

Antetokoumbo could emulate another Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon if he gets the MVP trophy this season.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is of Nigerian descent, has won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
Antetokounmpo beat Lakers’ Anthony Davies and Utah Jazz’ two-time winner of the award Rudy Gobert to win the prize.

The 25-year-old received 75 first-place votes from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters and earned 432 total points.

Davies got 200 points and 14 first-place votes when Gobert got 187 points with six first-place votes.

The best in the best-defensive team in the regular season, Antetokounmpo averaged an NBA-high 11.5 defensive rebounds in games played through March 11, 2020, and had nine games with at least 15 defensive rebounds.

The Greek star of Nigerian descent also averaged 1.04 steals and 1.02 blocked shots, making him the only the sixth player to average one or more in both categories.

Antetokounmpo received the award at the NBA bubble in New Orleans surrounded by his coach and teammates.

Beyond special Giannis Antetokounmpo said he owes the awards to his Bucks coach and teammates.
It was Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer who announced his player as the winner of the award and described him as 'beyond special'.

“His commitment to defending, his commitment to winning is beyond incredible. He impacts the game with his block shots, his rebounding and his ability to guard all five positions, his chase-down blocks and his challenge to do everything defensively,” Budenholzer said.

“His talent is beyond special, combined with his team, he is made for very special moments and for us to recognise him as the Defensive Player of the Year.”

After receiving the DPOY trophy from his teammate Brook Lopez.

In his speech, Antetokounmpo choked up a little while talking about his journey from Greece to the NBA.

He thanked his family, coach Budenholzer and his teammates for helping him win the award.

“Without my teammates, this wouldn’t be possible. I know that my name is on this trophy but it could be any of these guys' names on this trophy,” the 2019 MVP said.

“I believe that defence is built on trust and effort. We trust one another, we support one another and believe in one another, that’s why we are the best defensive team in the NBA and we are going to keep it that way.”

Records Giannis Antetokounmpo beat Antony Davies and Rudy Gobert to win the award (Instagram/Bucks)

Antetokounmpo is only the second Bucks player to win the DPOY and is also on the verge of breaking more records.

As the favourite for the MVP trophy, he is set to become only the third player to win the DPOY and MVP in the same season. Only greats Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon have done that.

With this DPOY award, he also becomes the fifth player selected as both the NBA MVP and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in a career, joining Jordan, Olajuwon, David Robinson and Kevin Garnett.

Antetokounmpo is also eyeing an NBA title with the Bucks who are 3-1 up against Orlando Magic in the first-round series of the playoffs.

Nigerian-born Giannis Antetokounmpo's parents Charles and Veronica Adetokunbo relocated to Greece in 1993 (Instagram/Giannis Antetokounmpo)
Born in Greece to Nigerian parents, Antetokounmpo hugely identifies with his Nigerian roots and in 2015 got his Nigerian passport.

His parents Charles and Veronica Adetokunbo left Nigerian in 1993 and settled in Greece where the NBA superstar was born.

His surname name turned to Antetokounmpo due to an error in his Greek passport.

“A lot of people think my mom or my dad is from Greece, but no. Both of my parents are black. Both of my parents are Nigerian,” the Milwaukee Bucks All-Star told The Undefeated.

“I grew up in a Nigerian home. Obviously, I was born in Greece and went to school in Greece. But at the end of the day when I go home, there is no Greek culture. It’s straight-up Nigerian culture. It’s about discipline, it’s about respecting your elders, having morals.”

His dad who is late now is Yoruba while his mum is Igbo and Antetokounmpo also once revealed that he understands little Igbo.