Giannis Antetokounmpo Says He Almost Quit Basketball After His Dad's Death in New Doc (Trailer Exclusive)

"Giannis: The Marvelous Journey" premieres on Prime Video on Feb. 19

Giannis Antetokounmpo Says He Almost Quit Basketball After His Dad's Death in Documentary Trailer
Giannis Antetokounmpo . Photo:

Courtesy of Prime Video

NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo's life is the subject of a new documentary from Prime Video Sports, and in it, the 29-year-old Milwaukee Bucks star admits he almost walked away from basketball after his father, Charles Antetokounmpo, passed away in 2017.

In the first trailer for Giannis: The Marvelous Journey, exclusively shared by PEOPLE, Antetokounmpo, 29, and his family members recount how the tragic loss affected their family.

"I said, 'I don't want to play no more,' " Giannis says in the trailer before his fiancée, Mariah Riddlesprigger, recalls. "I thought he was done."

Charles was 54 years old when he suddenly died of a heart attack in Milwaukee, just three years into Giannis's NBA career.

But instead of walking away from the sport he loves, Giannis went on to become one of the greatest basketball players in the world after losing his father.

"We’re all going to die one day, so go conquer the world," Giannis says in the trailer.

The Prime Video documentary chronicles Giannis's journey from an impoverished childhood in Greece as the son of Nigerian immigrants to the very top of the basketball world, beginning with the decision of Giannis's parents, Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo, to leave their roots in Nigeria for Greece when Giannis and his brothers were just kids.

Veronica explains that she and her husband "left Nigeria looking for a better life" for their children. However, their lives in Greece proved to be a different challenge.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Antetokounmpo, Veronica "Vera" Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Kostas Antetokounmpo attend the world premiere of Rise.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Giannis' brothers, Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex Antetokounmpo, share that they lived "in fear" as immigrants in Greece and explain how Giannis was "always trying to protect" his family.

"You want the best for your brothers," Giannis says through tears in the trailer. "I'm just a hard worker who’s trying to survive," he adds, "Because I'm scared of losing all of this."

Giannis Antetokounmpo. Andrew D. Bernstein/getty

Before he even dreamed of playing professionally, Giannis and his brothers recall frequenting a local internet cafe in Greece where they discovered the highlights of NBA stars like Kevin Durant and LeBron James, who he'd later compete against in the league.

His brother, Thanasis, also currently plays for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In 2021, Giannis led the Bucks to the NBA championship, cementing his legacy as an all-time great basketball player.

"The difference between a coward and a hero...it's how you deal with fear," Giannis says in the trailer.

Giannis Antetokounmpo in "Giannis: The Marvelous Journey".

Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

The Prime Video Sports film, produced by Words + Pictures and directed by Kristen Lappas, marks the first time Giannis's family has given first-person accounts on their collective journey.

The documentary features interviews with former and current NBA stars, inlcuding Jason Kidd, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Kenny Smith, Vin Baker and Ernie Johnson.

Giannis: The Marvelous Journey premieres on Prime Video on Feb. 19.

Related Articles