Giannis Antetokounmpo has generously agreed to sponsor Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals worth $25,000 each for four Division I walk-ons, as he revealed that he once had 'the same mentality I see in a lot of these kids' when he initially came into the league.
The Milwaukee Bucks forward, who was drafted as a 15th overall, first-round pick in 2013, never got the chance to play college basketball but said his experience isn't all that different from those vying to get noticed before potentially making the big leap to professional basketball.
'When I came to the NBA, I was 18 years old, and I wasn't the guy that played right away,' Antetokounmpo told Insider. 'But my attitude was always great. I wanted to learn; I wanted to improve; I asked questions. I went and I was around my teammates every single day — the vets that knew the game of basketball better than me.
'And then when my opportunity came, I took advantage of it,' he added. 'I stayed ready.'
The 28-year-old, also known as the 'Greek Freak', evolved in the Greek B Basket League with Filathlitikos for two years prior to coming stateside.
He didn't initially receive the recognition that he now gets despite his advantageous, seven-foot size and wants talented players, who don't immediately rise to stardom, to receive scholarships to help them extend their careers without worrying about the financial details that come with it.
