Giannis Antetokounmpo

I think my rookie, I was just having fun. I was 18, and I was living the American dream.

I like living in a smaller place, but I like being in big cities, too, like Athens.

Leading your family is a lot tougher than basketball.

I watched a lot of Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson, Kevin Durant, and a lot of Paul Pierce. I used to watch Tracy McGrady as well along with Kevin Garnett.

You have so many games to play, and you can do well in one game but bad in the other ones. The thing you've got to be is consistent.

I have worked hard to earn recognition in the NBA, and being on the cover of 'NBA 2K19' is a dream come true.

Because my parents were illegal, they couldn't trust anybody. They were always nervous. A neighbor could be like, 'These people are making too much noise, their children are making too much noise,' and the cops could knock at our door and ask for our papers, and that's it. It's that simple. So you're always a little closed.

I always had to be there for my family. I think that helped me a lot to adjust to the NBA.

It starts with my family. That drives me every day, just seeing them smiling.

The Bucks and John Hammond chose me in the draft, got me in the NBA, kept me in the team with a role from my very first season, and they are my basketball family.

If you are going to do something, you have to do it for yourself, and that's what I try to do. I try to be authentic and try to be original, so that's what I try to be. A lot of people try to build big brands but have received bad advice, and they don't try to be authentic and real with themselves.

I'm gonna have some nights when it's not gonna come. But if you keep playing natural, it's just gonna come. I'm gonna keep getting better, keep getting better, and one day, everything's gonna pay off.