GIANNIS Antetokounmpo has established himself as an NBA powerhouse — and is now trying to achieve similar success in the business world.
The two-time MVP is using the millions of dollars the Milwaukee Bucks pay him to diversify his already impressive investment portfolio, The U.S. Sun has learned.
Antetokounmpo, 28 — who signed a three-year, $177.1 million max extension with the Bucks last month — has already cashed in on his international fame and recognizability.
The 6-foot-11 forward is the face of Google’s bid to challenge Apple in the smartphone industry, promoting the tech giant’s new Pixel phones.
The Greek star has featured in commercials for other major brands such as T-Mobile, JBL, and Breitling while also partnering with Nike on his own shoe line, the Zoom Freak.
Giannis has set out on several business ventures with his brothers, Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex, managed through the newly-found Ante, Inc. company.
The Antetokounmpo bros have invested in sports franchises such as MLB’s Milwaukee Brewers and the MLS club Nashville SC.
They have also acquired shares in the Canadian-based confectionary brand Candy Funhouse and just opened the AntetokounBros clothing shop at Milwaukee’s Trade Hotel.
Giannis’ business empire stretches across the Atlantic as Ante, Inc. recently purchased a stake in Hellenic Wineries, a holding company that owns a major Greek wine manufacturer BOUTARI Wineries.
And the seven-time NBA All-Star is not done adding to his portfolio.
Antetokounmpo has been eyeing investments across Europe, ranging from real estate to farming and further venture into the wine industry, The U.S. Sun understands.
“Scouting of some houses and properties has been done, and we know that Antetokounmpo’s family is looking for somewhere quiet, where they can spend their holidays and free time not being surrounded by a lot of people and in privacy,” a source said.
Some of the properties that caught Giannis’ attention included luxurious villas in Portugal’s region of the Algarve and the capital city of Lisbon, the source said.
Others were located in Spain — in the Andalusia area, the city of Marbella, and the Baleares islands — and in Italy, around Tuscany and by Lake Como on the outskirts of Milan.
The prices of the identified mansions ranged from $2.2 million to $7.7 million, according to the listings viewed by The U.S. Sun.
Antetokounmpo has looked at real estate in his native Greece as well where he already owns a residence on the island of Mykonos, another source said.
Besides further investments in Mykonos, Athens, or other regions around the country, the Bucks star has been advised to consider purchasing one of the Cycladic or Aegean islands, the source added.
“Buying an island for someone like him could be very interesting as he loves privacy and not really being surrounded by a lot of people during his holidays,” per the source.
“When you own an island, you can be isolated from the rest of the world, which is great for people that don’t want to be too much in the middle of crowds.”
Antetokounmpo’s entourage has also shown interest in organic farming and the food industry in general, a third source said.
In response, the NBA forward’s advisors were presented with opportunities to invest in wineries located in the Italian regions of Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, per the source.
They also received listings of fields and properties in southern Europe, which grow and sell goods such as olive oil, cheese, fruits, and vegetables.
“As an athlete and someone who is very aware of healthy food and produces, we tried to focus on things that are known for him — Greek products like cheese or olive fields — as those are always going to be profitable businesses,” the source said.
“But most importantly, businesses that give importance to the protection of the land and the environment by not using pesticides and being organic.”
The Bucks selected Antetokounmpo with the 15th overall pick in 2013.
He made it to the NBA despite his humble upbringing, which saw him and his brothers help their mom sell knock-off bags and sunglasses on the streets of Athens before they took up basketball.
Giannis started playing pro hoops at Filathlitikos in the Greek third tier, eventually attracting significant interest from the majority of NBA teams.
He won the 2021 NBA title with the Bucks alongside Thanasis.
A year earlier, Kostas triumphed with the Los Angeles Lakers in the Orlando bubble, becoming the first of the Antetokounmpo bros to get a championship ring.
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