 In this video, I will be sharing the top reviews of the book called, Yanis, authored by Miran Fader who is a staff writer for The Ringer, writing long form, human interest features on all sports. She's also profiled some of the world's best women athletes, too, including Brianna Stewart, Michaela Schifrin, Sabrina Ionescu, Coco Galf, Liz Kambidge and Mallory Pugh. But before we get to the reviews let's see a little bit of what this book is about. As the face of the NBA's New World Order, Yanis Ante de Kumpo has overcome unfathomable obstacles to become a symbol of hope for people all over the world, the personification of the American dream. But his backstory remains largely untold, and Fader unearths new information about the childhood that shaped, the Greek freak, from sleeping side by side with his brothers to selling trinkets on the side of the street with his family to the racism he experienced in Greece. Ante de Kumpo grew up in an era when Golden Dawn, Greeks far right, anti-immigrant party, patrolled his neighborhood, and his status as an illegal immigrant largely prevented him from playing for Greeks' top clubs, making his rise to the NBA all the more improbable. Fader tells a deeply human story of how an unknown, skinny, black Greek teen, who played in the country's lowest pro division and was seen as a draft gamble, transformed his body and his game into MVP material. Ante de Kumpo's story has been framed as a feel-good narrative in which the globe has embraced him, watching him grow up and lead the underdog bucks to the best record in the NBA in 2020. Giannis reveals a more nuanced story. How hesitant Ante de Kumpo was, and still is, to spend money. How lonely and isolated he felt, adjusting to America and the NBA early in his career. The way he changed after his father recently died of a heart attack. The complexity of grappling with his black and Greek identities. How private he is, so hard on himself and his shortcomings, a drive that fuels him every day. And the deep-rooted responsibility he feels to be a nurturing role model for his younger brothers. Fader illustrates a more vulnerable star than people know, a person who has evolved triumphantly into all of his roles. As a father, brother, son, teammate, and global icon. Giannis gives readers a front row seat as Ante de Kumpo strives for an elusive championship with the Bucks. Quelling speculation about potentially leaving Milwaukee after signing a five-year Supermax contract extension worth $228 million. Now, he contends with his next big hurdle, proving that committing to a small-market franchise can bring Milwaukee back to glory. Now let's get to the reviews. Brandis from the United States says Giannis, the improbable rise of an NBA MVP was an excellent, in-depth look at one of basketball's rising leaders. Miran Fader conducted 221 interviews in the process of writing this book. It's thorough, covering Giannis' childhood in Greece where he grew up loving soccer and eventually came around to basketball. The bond he and his brothers share, the struggles his family faced, being evicted from their home and not knowing where their next meal would come from. The unfortunate prevalence of racism that still remains in Greece today, Giannis' pursuit of basketball, a slow and steady one compared to many other NBA players today, and his arrival in the league and in America, as he attempted to adjust to the vast contrast in culture and life here, followed by his rise in the league. I truly can't fathom hunger at the level of pain and exhaustion the Ante de Kumpo family experienced. It can be easy to judge athletes from afar, but their people first and so many have come from such humble beginnings. I'm not a Bucks fan, but can't help rooting for Giannis. He is a dedicated student of the game, committed to his craft, polite to all, grateful, devoted to family, has incredible athletic prowess, and is funny. While this book was finished slightly before the 2021 finals, the Bucks winning the championship this year only further solidified Giannis' place as a worthy opponent. His story is an inspiring one. Story from Hawaii says I read this book as a net galley arc. As a direct result of reading, Giannis, by Miran Fader, Giannis Ante de Kumpo has a new fan. Growing up in Greece with two undocumented, refugee parents and three brothers dealt Giannis a hard lot in life. Fate can start you at the bottom. Dreams can take you to the top. Giannis never stopped believing, never stopped working, mentality and the drive and support of his family, got him drafted to the NBA. Then, as you read, the real work began. The biggest takeaway I got from this book is, you will not be tomorrow where you are today. If you have a goal, take steps toward it every day. Giannis took opportunities to learn and develop. He took notes. He asked questions. He was not afraid to learn from others. He looked toward coaches and mentors for guidance and support. And then, he worked. He worked longer and harder than anyone else on his team because that is the level of dedication it takes to be the best. This book had me searching on Google and watching basketball highlights of Giannis and Baby Shack. It was refreshing to read Fader's descriptions of Giannis playing and then to watch YouTube videos of exactly what the book described. I learned so much more than just about Giannis. Joe from Wisconsin says honestly the only issue I had with this book is it felt like there were so many moments that could have been expounded upon even further, but overall an impeccably researched read that captured well the experience of watching Giannis grow from inspiring oddity to the genuine symbol of hope and self-belief that he is now. Natalie from Wisconsin says Giannis onto to Kumpo has followed a true, hero's journey. From a humble beginning in Greece, he willed himself and his brothers, to find success on the basketball court. Fader Miran Fader has thoroughly researched every aspect of what has made Giannis, Giannis. Through interviews with former coaches, teammates, and family friends, Fader has woven together with the story of the complex tapestry of Giannis' identity. An inspirational biography and compelling text. This book is a must-read for fellow Milwaukee Bucks fans, student athletes, coaches, and anyone else looking to be motivated to become the best version of him or herself. Christina from the United States says I have been a huge fan of Giannis for many years now, so I was extremely thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. In addition to being one of the best basketball players in the world, he has always seemed like such a great human being. Everything in the media showed him as a happy, kind person who always had time for people, no matter how seemingly unimportant. Reading this book was very eye-opening, as Giannis has always been somewhat private about his life off of the court. Learning about the family's struggles to survive in a Greece that did not want them until they could potentially do something for them was heartbreaking, but their overall optimism and love for each other was also just so wonderful to read. This was a wonderful book. The author did a fantastic job of telling Giannis' story, with interviews from not just his brothers, but also people from Greece who grew up with him and introduced him to the game of basketball. His hard work and dedication to being the best he can be are admirable, but his greatness as a person is sometimes something that is overlooked, and it shouldn't be. Giannis is truly a great role model, and they're finally winning the NBA Championship this year as an excellent epilogue, to this book. I hope many people read this book to learn more about such a wonderful person. I have provided the sources of this video in the description. Please feel free to check them out. Thank you for watching this video. If you like this video then please subscribe to the channel and share this video.