Veronica Antetokounmpo Faced Difficulties as an Immigrant - Facts about Giannis Antetokounmpo's Mother

After leaving Nigeria for a better life in Greece, Veronica Antetokounmpo and her husband lived undocumented for two decades. From picking oranges to selling at markets, the former high jumper worked hard to provide for her children, which included a son she had to leave behind in Nigeria.

Of Igbo origin, Veronica was born and raised in Nigeria, where she met and married her husband and welcomed her eldest son. However, without any opportunities in the West African country, the couple left their eldest son with his grandparents and relocated to Greece for a better life.

But life in Greece also proved to have hardships, as Veronica and her husband lived without papers for twenty years. They worked hard to put food on the table and finally saw their efforts pay off when their sons pursued successful careers as professional athletes. A hero in her son's eyes, Veronica more recently had to endure her husband's passing in 2017.

Veronica Antetokounmpo Belongs to Nigeria's Igbo Ethnic Group

Veronica was born on April 7, 1963. In 2015, her son Giannis took to social media to honor his mother's birthday and shared a picture of them sitting side by side and smiling. "Happy birthday, Mommy I will always love you!!!" Giannis tweeted.

Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, her late husband, Charles Adetokunbo, was of Yoruba ethnicity, while she came from the Igbo Ethnic Group. The Igbo people, also called Ibo, mainly live in southeastern Nigeria and speak Igbo, a language of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family.

After Veronica and Charles moved to Greece, their last name was changed. When Giannis applied for formal Greek papers, "Adetokunbo" was transliterated into the Greek Αντετοκούνμπο, which is spelled in English "Antetokounmpo."

While the Antetokounmpo family name has become synonymous with basketball, the brothers inherited their athletic abilities from Veronica, a former high jumper, and Charles, who was a professional soccer player in his youth in Nigeria before his move to Greece in 1991. Charles said:

"It was very hard to get a job. That's why we decided to leave, too."

Veronica Antetokounmpo and Her Family Faced Difficulties in Greece

Once within Greek borders and after leaving behind their eldest son, Francis, Veronica and her husband were undocumented citizens of no nation. And while she was a babysitter, her husband found a job as a handyman. She later gave birth to four sons: Giannis, Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex.

Veronica gave her sons Greek names in honor of the country they were born in, but her sons also have Nigerian names. Once they were old enough, the Antetokounmpo sons would help their parents—who also picked oranges on farms— sell hats and bags on the streets.

"We all had to work to survive. We went through some hard times," Giannis said. However, it was barely enough to make ends meet. Once Giannis and Thanasis discovered their passion for basketball, they had to share shoes, as there was sometimes no money for food, let alone clothing.

According to Veronica, the family also faced eviction. And while they never experienced racism, the Antetokounmpo family faced difficulty obtaining Greek citizenship. Giannis said:

"For 20 years, they were illegal. It's very hard to live for 20 years without papers. Very, very hard. You have children, and you have to go out and work without papers. At any moment, the cops can stop you and say come over here and let me send you back to your country. For me, my parents, they are heroes."

Fortunately, Veronica and her family found a sense of community in Sepolia, a western Athens neighborhood where Veronica raised Giannis and his brothers. A local café would offer the Antetokounmpo family free breakfast, and one neighbor gave Giannis all the clothes they had outgrown.

After the Antetokounmpo brothers found an escape on the basketball court, Greek basketball coach Spiros Velliniatis helped Giannis sign with a club. He also convinced the basketball club to give the family a stipend so Giannis would not have to help his family work.

Because of Velliniatis— who Giannis said he would not be where he is today without— Giannis went on to play and win titles in the NBA. "Yes, we did have hard times growing up in Greece. But if you took me back in time and asked me to live my life again, I'd do it," Giannis said.

Veronica Antetokounmpo Lost Her Husband in 2017

Following the life-changing moment of her son's signing with the Milwaukee Bucks, Veronica, and her family moved to American shores, where Charles Adetokunbo sadly died of a heart attack in 2017. However, things took a turn for the better in 2021 when Veronica obtained citizenship in Greece. Giannis said:

"We always felt Greek, but now we have an official stamp, and we are happy."

Veronica's Life in Recent Years

As of 2021, Veronica lived with Giannis, who was building her a new home next door to him. And in 2022, director Akin Omotoso told the tale of the Antetokounmpo family's lives in the film "Rise."

Veronica has been by her sons' sides during public events, including walking the red carpet with them at the premiere of "Rise" in 2022 in California. She also has an active social media presence, including an Instagram account, where she shares her pride in all of her children's success.

Francis took after his late father and pursued a career as a professional soccer player in Nigeria. After retiring, he relocated to Greece. Thanasis, Veronica's second eldest son, played professional basketball with two of his younger brothers for the Milwaukee Bucks and enjoys playing golf in his spare time.

Giannis, the third-born, has risen to stardom for his basketball talent during his time at the Bucks, and the fourth-born son, Kostas, also plays basketball in the NBA. Veronica's youngest, Alex, chose to play professional basketball in Europe. But according to Giannis, his baby brother has the potential to be better than him one day.