Paris 2024 men’s basketball: Giannis Antetokounmpo is the driving force behind Greece’s first Olympic win in 16 years

Giannis Antetokounmpo was 14 years old the last time Greece qualified for the Olympics, a kid selling handbags and other items on the streets of Athens with his brothers, just hoping to earn some extra money for his family. Participating in the Olympics was a fantasy, something he never envisioned becoming a reality.

That reality has come to fruition this week in Paris and Lille, where Antetokounmpo was the flagbearer for the Greek Olympic Team as his amazing ascension to superstardom continued.

Greece may not qualify for the quarter-finals but it made a statement with a 77-71 win over Australia, while Antetokounmpo reflected on his experience over the past week, including being around hundreds of Olympians or dining in the Athlete Village.

“I’ve waited. I have wanted to be on this stage for a long time but I wasn’t fortunate enough,” he said. “I’m trying to enjoy every single day with my teammates. I remember when I came (to Paris) the first day, I texted my wife and told her I can’t stop smiling. The atmosphere and the vibe is just different. You know it’s hard for me to be around every basketball player because we compete against one another, and then you see them in the cafeteria. You see them in the elevator. You see them outside in the athletes’ lounge area. The energy is just different.

“The moment I went to the Opening Ceremony with all the Greek athletes, my teammates and lifting up the flag, people cheering for us and going back and competing in the Games and seeing how the crowd is into it, seeing how hard people are competing on this Olympic stage, it’s incredible,” he said.

“I’m happy that I’m here. I don’t take it for granted. I will enjoy it to the fullest. You never know if you’ll have this opportunity again. It took (Greek basketball) 16 years to be here. In 16 years, I will be 45 years old. When I see my kids out there, they are able to see me compete on this stage and I can tell them the stories of how it was.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo flying the flag

Antetokounmpo said he was humbled by the offer to be the Greek flagbearer. He suggested a more experienced Greek athlete; Greek officials insisted he was the country’s most impactful athlete.

“Going from the Lille Olympic Village to the Paris Olympic Village and you’re seeing all the athletes, thousands of athletes and just walking to the bus and then from the bus to the boat with all the Greek athletes together as one, it was a great experience,” he said.

“You see how everybody carried themselves and how everybody has a bit of pressure. Once we got in the boat and we lifted up the flag and going through the river, I think everybody just kind of relaxed and enjoyed the moment. For me, it was one of the biggest honors I could ever ask for.

“I know my father is watching from heaven and he’s dancing about this. I might win another championship, I might win another MVP, but who knows? I might never carry the flag again. Going through the Eiffel Tower and it was raining, which made it even more dramatic. See my mom, always with her phone taking pictures. It was an experience I’ll never forget.”

Gary Washburn is an Olympic Channel correspondent and National NBA Writer for the Boston Globe.