Giannis Antetokounmpo - Nike: Made in Athens

Sports IllustrationPublic Art & Installations

Jun 4

Where Giannis grew up: Sepolia, Athens

Giannis Antetokounmpo was born and raised in Sepolia, one of the tougher neighbourhoods of Athens. I grew up there too, 27 years before him. This portrait is built on the actual street map of Sepolia, and its tiles are photos of the neighbourhood’s walls and street art. It went viral when Giannis reposted it, and Nike EMEA then installed it in the area dedicated to him at the Nike store on Syntagma Square.

Made in the streets of Athens. A mosaic portrait of the Greek Freak @Giannis_An34 based on the actual map of the part of Athens where he was born and raised. A variety of photos from the streets of Athens are used in this mosaic as an homage to an incredible basketball player and a uniquely kind and brave person.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of my personal heroes. You probably know him as one of the best NBA players; he was just 23 when I wrote this, in 2018. But Giannis is not just an incredible athlete. He is a rare character and a charismatic personality. Giannis grew up in Sepolia, the same neighborhood as I did, but 27 years later. It's one of the difficult areas of Athens where life can be tough, especially if you are the son of a Nigerian illegal immigrant.

But Giannis did it. Even before the NBA, he managed not just to survive but to earn what he needed for a healthy lifestyle. And when the NBA came into his life, he took the challenge to the max. I am really proud of him, especially knowing how this guy is still loyal to his principles.
This is not the first time I have created something for Giannis. Some years ago, when I was asked to represent Greece at an international fashion art exhibition in Brussels, I chose Giannis as my subject and painted a haute couture dress featuring his portrait. Some months ago, while I was experimenting with one of my favorite subjects, which is maps, I came up with a mosaic portrait of Giannis based on the actual map of our neighborhood. I have decided to use photos and images from that part of Athens, especially of its walls and street art. My portrait was just a tribute to someone I admire, and I have just published it on my social media. It became an instant viral theme, especially after Giannis reposted it on his Instagram and other accounts. The media buzz this post generated was followed by a proposal from Nike EMEA to use my work as part of the interior design of the special area dedicated to Giannis at their flagship Athens store and other locations. Obviously, I was very happy to collaborate with them.
You can see my mosaic portrait, some details, and a making of. You can also find below some photos from the central Athens Nike store in Syntagma Square.
Thanks, Giannis! May you always be #AKidFromSepolia.

More work I have made for Giannis: the NBA Creator Series portrait for the NBA's 75th Anniversary Season, Bucks: The deers of Milwaukee, NBA Finals 2019 for Bleacher Report and The legends of Greek Basketball.