Giannis is an inspirational book about one of the NBA's most dominant athletes, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and his rise to NBA royalty. I think this is going to be a staple read for basketball fans.

I love watching basketball and have since I was a young girl watching games with my dad. Giannis is one of my favorite players to watch because he is so dominant on the court and always gives his all. So, I was excited to finally get to know more about Giannis as a person.

The book starts out with an introduction to his childhood in Greece. His story is more than just rags to riches it's about striving for greatness even when everyone and everything seems like they are against you. We quickly learn how much family means to him. When he was young, he had to find jobs wherever he could because he wanted to help his family financially. His family faced struggles and once he found the sport of basketball he knew he would do whatever he could to make it to the NBA and change his and his family's life.

When Giannis got older and started to take basketball more seriously, he still wasn't on scouts or teams' radars. He was a lanky, uncoordinated kid who loved the game but nothing screamed superstar to anyone...anyone except his family. His parents and his brothers always believed he could be one of the greats. Giannis is so grateful for their support and that pushed him. He worked hard, stayed in the gym longer, and did whatever he could to make sure he was putting himself in the best position to succeed. But like I said before most people weren't rooting for him. As many of us know, Giannis grew up in Greece so you would assume that the people of Greece would be rooting for a local athlete. Sadly that was not the case. Unfortunately, because of the color of his skin, he faced racism on a daily basis. Why you may ask? Well according to some he couldn't possibly be black and from Greece. I have to applaud Giannis because he took the high road never putting down the people of Greece and keeping quiet about the unfortunate racism he faced.

That's why it was such a wonderful feeling of accomplishment when he made it to the NBA and signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. He felt like he did it and could take care of his family. But he still would face many ups and downs. So many wondered if he could produce and be effective but he never doubted himself. Every time someone thought he wasn't good enough he strived to prove them wrong.

I enjoyed this story and loved reading interviews about his humor and his positive attitude. He is so humble and never wants to forget where he came from. Just because he is making millions doesn't mean that he spends it all in one place. He is very smart with his money and I think that's because of his struggles. And because of those struggles, he doesn't want to lose what he has so that motivates him every day.

I give Giannis 5 stars. It's such a powerful story about a young boy from Greece having a dream and making it a reality with hard work, determination, and the support of family. His story is an inspiration and shows people that fame doesn't always have to change a person. I look forward to the day when Giannis is holding up the NBA Championship trophy.

Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP is the biographical story of Giannis Antetokounmpo from childhood to his current time in the NBA. The book chronicles his early life in Greece and all of the struggles he faced, including poverty, racism, and his fight as an immigrant to even get noticed for his basketball skills. All aspects of his time in the NBA are covered in great detail, from getting drafted and adapting to life in America to leading the Bucks to the playoffs and his back to back MVP awards.

Wow, wow, wow, what a fantastic book. As a basketball fan with moderate general knowledge of the NBA, I was immediately interested in this book and was incredibly impressed. The book took great care to respectfully tell Giannis's backstory in a way that showed how difficult it really was for him to have a chance to get drafted. His humility and loyalty to his family and his team is well documented throughout the book, and I enjoyed reading the detail spent on each of his years with the Bucks. And the evolution of his views on and outspokenness of the racism he experienced in Greece, along with the experiences of fellow teammates and events in Wisconsin, is one of the real gems in the book. A great book about a complex athlete, check this one out as soon as it is published.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Books for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.