Milwaukee Bucks rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo will participate in the NBA All-Star weekend by playing in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night.
The 19-year-old has captured the hearts of fans and media in the first half of his rookie season, for a variety of reasons.
He's sort of become a pop sensation, if you ask us.
Here are some of our favorite moments so far:
10. His parallel parking (at 4:15 in the video)
"Oh it’s nice. It’s smashing. I’m the best."
9. His hands
8. His blog
Giannis writes for a Greek site but you can find translations out there. Here's a sampling, thanks to the people at BrewHoop:
"For me the best gift is the NBA. What I am going through is amazing. Even now, when I am stepping on the floor, I think it's not real. Until seven months ago I was playing in ESKA and A2 [read: Greek lower divisions] and now I am in the NBA. If this isn't a gift, then what is?"
6. Throwing up the antlers
5. The fantastic StarBUCKS Drake Hands video
4. His tweets
Guys my name is easy A-nte-to-koun-mpo..
— GiannisAntetokounmpo (@G_ante34) February 4, 2014
Two hours until I see my family again after 5 months, I feel like breakdancing @Adeto_kouboS.. #feelinggood #happy
— GiannisAntetokounmpo (@G_ante34) February 2, 2014
I just taste for the first time a smothie..MAN GOD BLESS AMERICA😊
— GiannisAntetokounmpo (@G_ante34) January 20, 2014
3. His Dougie (Thanks Zaza!)
2. His story
1. His game
Jim Owczarski is an award-winning sports journalist and comes to Milwaukee by way of the Chicago Sun-Times Media Network.
A three-year Wisconsin resident who has considered Milwaukee a second home for the better part of seven years, he brings to the market experience covering nearly all major and college sports.
To this point in his career, he has been awarded six national Associated Press Sports Editors awards for investigative reporting, feature writing, breaking news and projects. He is also a four-time nominee for the prestigious Peter J. Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism, presented by the Chicago Headline Club, and is a two-time winner for Best Sports Story. He has also won numerous other Illinois Press Association, Illinois Associated Press and Northern Illinois Newspaper Association awards.
Jim's career started in earnest as a North Central College (Naperville, Ill.) senior in 2002 when he received a Richter Fellowship to cover the Chicago White Sox in spring training. He was hired by the Naperville Sun in 2003 and moved on to the Aurora Beacon News in 2007 before joining OnMilwaukee.com.
In that time, he has covered the events, news and personalities that make up the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, NCAA football, baseball and men's and women's basketball as well as boxing, mixed martial arts and various U.S. Olympic teams.
Golf aficionados who venture into Illinois have also read Jim in GOLF Chicago Magazine as well as the Chicago District Golfer and Illinois Golfer magazines.
