April 23rd 2024.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's loyalty to his family played a significant role in his decision to sign a sneaker deal with Nike instead of Adidas. The talented basketball player, also known as the "Greek Freak", recently opened up about his reasoning on a podcast. He revealed that Adidas did not have a contract in place for his brother, Thanasis, and as a result, he turned down their offer and went with Nike, who was more than happy to include his brother in the deal.
According to a report by Bleacher Report, Giannis discussed the situation on a recent episode of The Thanalysis Show, shedding light on the details of his decision. He recalled the moment when the Adidas representative presented him with a contract and how he immediately asked about his brother's contract. When the rep informed him that his brother's contract would be dealt with separately, Giannis declined their offer, saying "no thank you."
Giannis explained that although he was aware of his family's financial needs, he couldn't bring himself to sign a deal that didn't include his brother. He knew that his brother's inclusion was the only way he would put his signature on that contract. So when he later met with Nike, he made it clear that he and his brother were a package deal. To his relief, the Nike representative was on board with that plan.
During their meeting, Giannis emphasized the importance of family to him. He made it clear that when Nike signed him, they were also signing his family, including his brother and his mother. To his surprise, the representative agreed without hesitation, and that's how the Antetokounmpo family became a part of the Nike family.
In 2013, Giannis officially signed with Nike, even though he was far from being a sure thing as a player at the time. This decision proved to be a significant loss for Adidas and a huge gain for Nike. Since then, "The Greek Freak" has won an NBA championship, two NBA most valuable player awards, and has even been the inspiration for a best-selling book and a movie. And through it all, Nike has stood by his side, just as Giannis had hoped for when he made his decision.
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