WATCH: Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Emotional Speech after Receiving NBA Most Valuable Player 2019 Award

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 24: Giannis Antetokounmpo accepts the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player award onstage during the 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia on TNT at Barker Hangar on June 24, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. 

The 2019 Most Valuable Player in the NBA is Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Popularly referred to as the “Greek Freak,” Antetokounmpo received 78 of the 101 possible first-place votes.

He was born in Greece in 1994, to Nigerian immigrants. In his speech, Antetokounmpo thanked Greece, Nigerian, and the city of Milwaukee for always supporting him.

He paid a moving tribute to his dad, Charles Antetokounmpo who passed in 2017.

“I want to thank my dad. Obviously, my dad is not here with me,” he said.

He said: “Two years ago, I had a goal in my head that I was going to be the best player in the league and do whatever it takes to help my team win, and I’m going to win everything.

“Every day I step on the floor, I always think of my dad and that motivates me and pushes me to play harder and move forward.

“Even when my body is sore, even when I don’t feel like playing, I always show up and do the right thing.”

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 24: (L-R) Giannis Antetokounmpo accepts the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player award from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver onstage during the 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia on TNT at Barker Hangar on June 24, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. 

He continued: “I want to thank my team, my team-mates. MVP is not about stats and numbers. It is all about winning and all about making sure you go out there and do everything you can to win. I think that is what we did as a team.”

He also thanked his siblings and mum Veronica for their support of these years.

“I want to thank my amazing brothers. I love you guys. You guys are my ride or die, my role model, I look up to you guys. Thank you for everything you do for me. I want to thank my amazing mum. She’s my hero. She always saw the future in us and always believed in us,” he said.

He concluded: “And the end of the day, this is just the beginning. My goal is to win the championship and I’m going to do whatever it is to make that happen”.

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Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Turner Sports