Giannis' parents Veronica and Charles Antetokounmpo moved from Lagos to Athens as a young couple in 1991

The majority of Greeks were unaware of a teenager named Giannis Antetokounmpo until a few months ago.

 The petite athlete, who stood six feet nine inches tall, was the tall star of a minor league basketball club in a suburb of Athens.  He was raised and educated in Athens after being born in Greece to a Nigerian soccer player and high-jumper.  His citizenship was only granted to him in May.

 Then, on June 27 in New York, NBA commissioner David Stern declared that Antetokounmpo, who just turned 19, had been selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 15th pick in the first round of the NBA draft.

Wearing a gray jacket, Antetokounmpo jumped out of the crowd and embraced his brother Thanassis, 20, who was waving a huge Greek flag in blue and white.

 Afterwards, Antetokounmpo told a television reporter, "It's a wonderful feeling,"  "I have no words to express my feelings.  It's a dream realized.

 Nowadays, many young people in Greece are unable to fulfill their aspirations.  According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Greece has one of the highest unemployment rates in the developed world, with nearly two-thirds of Greeks under the age of 24 unemployed.  Children of immigrants, many of whom are stateless in a culture that holds foreigners responsible for its woes, face even more difficult prospects.

Many Greeks who are eager for their nation to transform from a place of unemployment to one that fosters dreams have found hope in Antetokounmpo's achievements.

 In 1991, his parents, Charles and Veronica, relocated to Athens from Lagos, Nigeria.  Francis, their little boy, was left with his grandparents.  According to Charles, the Nigerian economy was devoid of opportunities.

 His words, "It was very hard to get a job,"  People sensed that opportunities were passing them by.  "That's why we decided to leave, too."

The couple plucked oranges on fields in Greece.  On the streets of the city, they sold purses and worry beads.  Alex, Giannis, Kostas, and Thanassis are the four other sons that Veronica gave birth to.  Although they also have Nigerian names, she gave them Greek names in remembrance of her chosen nation.

 The lads frequently went to work with their parents.

 "Everyone had to survive, you must labor," Giannis explains.  "We went through some hard times."

 Sepolia, a run-down area in western Athens, was where the boys lived for the majority of their life.  The Antetokounmpo family claims they have never experienced racism in the city, in contrast to other immigrants.  However, they had trouble making their rent payments.  According to Veronica, they were evicted once.

 On sometimes, her boys would hide out at a nearby outdoor basketball court.  Her words, "It was a kind of paradise for them,"

 It was a place to forget that they couldn't afford shoes and sometimes even food, according to Thanassis, who aspires to play in the NBA.