Giannis Antetokounmpo just coming off being named the NBA 2018-2019 season MVP has officially released his first signature shoe with Nike. Modern-day basketball is more than just the game and this shoe tells the story behind the athlete like none other. Let us introduce the Nike Air Zoom Freak 1.
If you do not know who or what Giannis Antetokounmpo is, it’s about time you start paying attention. The title of an NBA Mega-Star for the Milwaukee Bucks, 3x NBA All-Star, 2018-2019 NBA MVP does not do him justice. Yeah, you heard that right, what many dream of accomplishing he has done yet his true accomplishments are so much deeper than that and his signature Nike Basketball sneaker does the perfect job at representing that.
First of all, Giannis was born in Athens, Greece and he was born of two immigrants from Nigeria. Due to their legal status, work was hard to come by for his parents so he and his older brother had to help out to make ends meet. Through this, he started playing basketball and it sparked a love that he had never felt before. His rise to success started as he quickly began playing for numerous leagues the older he got. He climbed divisional ladders in Greece’s semi-pro league and was even selected by coaches to play in the 2013 Greek League All-Star Game. That season was just what he needed to get a chance at the NBA and he was taken in the first round of the 2013 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Rise of the Greek Freak was just getting started.
After his rookie season, he began to be noticed around the league. Although he was not the most popular player, opponents knew what he was capable of and respected his game on the court. He let his game talk and wrote his own script on what his legacy would be and it paid off. In 2016 he signed a four year $100 million dollar contract with the Bucks and his rise to fame kicked off after that. Now this year he was named the Most Valuable Player and he became the third youngest player as well as the fifth player born outside of the US to claim the title.
All his hard work and dedication paid off and Nike decided to give him his own signature shoe, the Nike Zoom Freak 1. Although he is a great basketball player, the sneaker shines a light on his other attributes like his love for his family and Greece.
Other than the shoe looking like one of the best signature shoe’s we have seen in quite some time there is a lot of meaning behind it. Since Giannis loved to play in Kobe’s he took a lot of inspiration from the Black Mamba’s series. Arriving with a double-stacked Zoom Air Unit in the heel, you can only imagine how comfortable they feel to ball in. Features such as “34” his jersey number written in Greek characteristics that play off of the Greek Flag can be seen on the heels. But nothing compares to his primary logo that is present on the tongue. Interlocking a “G” and an “A” in a triangular logo represent the strength and classic Greek Architecture as well as the interlock between him and his family. If either the “G” or “A” is removed, the logo quickly falls apart, just like the Antetokounmpo family. It really shows the team at Nike took their time with this signature shoe and really wanted to capture the story of Giannis that fans do not typically see or know. It takes us on a journey from Nigeria to Greece, and then from Athens To Milwaukee.
The versatile silhouette contains an upper that is ready to take on numerous colorways. The overlay system and style of Nike Swoosh make this a sneaker to really look out for. This is huge for both Nike and Giannis and we will be seeing a lot more from the two in the future so get ready.
NIKE AIR ZOOM FREAK 1 RELEASE INFORMATION
Today along with the reveal of the first set of three sneakers, one pair became available. The “All Bros” version just dropped on Nike SNKRS and it comes with a great story of how family runs deeper than blood and that the same sense of kinship can be found within teammates and friends. A Black/White pair will be released on July 10th, while the luxurious “Roses” iteration will drop on September 7th. All will see a price tag of a cool $120 as well. Grab an official look of all three below and follow JustFreshKicks for more Nike Zoom Freak news.
Nike Air Zoom Freak 1 “All Bros”
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $120
Color: Total Orange/Midnight Navy-White
Style Code: BQ5422-800
Nike Air Zoom Freak 1 “Black/White”
Release Date: July 10th, 2019
Price: $120
Color: Black/Black-White-Lucid Green
Style Code: BQ5422-001
Nike Air Zoom Freak 1 “Roses”
Release Date: September 7th, 2019
Price: $120
Style Code: BQ5422-100
Words By Irven Sykes
