The American Dream is not as evident in recent years, but Giannis Antetokounmpo has proved that the dream is still alive. Antetokounmpo grew up impoverished in Greece, but with a deep love for basketball and endless support from his family, he has become one of the best, if not the best, basketball players in the NBA.

After coming back from a very successful season, albeit not winning the championship, Giannis has proved that he is without a doubt a once in a generation talent. Last season, he led his team, the Milwaukee Bucks, to the league’s best record. While doing so, he won his second straight MVP, and a Defensive Player of the Year award. This is just the beginning for Antetokounmpo as there is no sign of him slowing down.

Doubt, however, arose at the start of the season concerning where his future would be. From the perspective of the player, last season was immensely successful; from the perspective of the team, not so much.  Following the heart-breaking third round exit in 2019, the Bucks got knocked out in the second round of the Eastern Semifinals by the Miami Heat. The 2019-2020 season marked Giannis’ seventh season. This offseason, the Bucks began to break apart as they were unable to acquire players to form a championship-caliber roster. As a result, Giannis suiting up in another team’s uniform quickly became a realistic outcome.

Luckily for Bucks fans, Giannis made history on December 15th allowing fans to breathe a sigh of relief. Reporters confirmed that Giannis had signed the biggest deal in NBA history: a supermax contract guaranteeing him 228 million dollars. The Bucks have tied up a franchise player as Giannis will be in a Bucks uniform for the next five years with a player opt-out option after the fourth season.

“This is my home, this is my city. I’m blessed to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next five years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on; let’s get it,” Giannis stated on Twitter following the contract signing. 

Giannis’ improvement since 2013 has been exciting to witness, and it will be just as, if not more exciting, to see how Giannis performs in the next five years. Like the reigning MVP said on Twitter, “the show goes on,” and Bucks and basketball fans alike can expect just that: Giannis putting on a show when he steps on to the court. As he continues to write his name into the history books, it is pretty extraordinary to recall that Giannis Antetokounmpo was just a kid with a dream bigger than himself. His success story is proof that the possibilities are endless with hard work-the principle the American Dream is founded upon.