Giannis Antetokounmpo, who recently disclosed that he formerly possessed “the same mentality I see in a lot of these kids,” has kindly consented to sponsor Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals worth $25,000 apiece for four Division I walk-ons.
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The Milwaukee Bucks power forward, selected in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft with the 15th overall choice, never had the opportunity to play collegiate ball. However, he stated that his experience is similar to that of players trying to gain recognition before maybe taking a significant leap to the professional ranks.
“I wasn’t the guy that played right away when I came to the NBA at the age of 18,” Antetokounmpo said to Insider. ‘But I always had a positive mindset. I asked questions because I wanted to grow and learn. Every day I attended, I was surrounded by my seasoned colleagues who were more knowledgeable about the game of basketball than I was.
“And then I seized the opportunity when it presented itself,” he continued. “I remained prepared.”
Before moving to the United States, the 28-year-old, also referred to as the “Greek Freak,” spent two years developing with Filathlitikos in the Greek B Basket League.
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Despite his advantages seven-foot stature, he didn’t always receive the respect he currently does. He wants exceptional players who don’t become stars right away to be given scholarships so they can continue playing without having to worry about the financial aspects of it.
It doesn’t really matter who is the first, second, or third player at the end. It has nothing to do with the team’s MVP. Prior to this year’s March Madness, Antetokounmpo stated, “It’s about the end of the bench.” They can still make an impact even if they aren’t on the ground.
He continued, “They want to keep getting better.” “They can offer their teams so much.”
UConn freshman Andre Johnson Jr. is one athlete who ended up obtaining the NBA champion’s award; during his high school career, he sustained a leg injury that caused collegiate programs to revoke their scholarship offers.
After transferring from Haverford College at the end of her second year, Lauren Zwetzig of Notre Dame is also included. After coming to terms with the realization that she would no longer be able to play competitive basketball, the junior changed programs.
In an effort to stay active in my favorite sport, women’s basketball, I made the decision to apply for the management role. The Fighting Irish Athletics website states, “I was asked to walk on the team for a roster sport after being selected as a manager and then became a practice player.”
Ronnie Porter of Wisconsin and Spencer Hubbard of Duke University both had to overcome obstacles to reach their current positions. Before joining the Badgers practice squad, Porter turned down offers from other universities to pursue a career in nonprofit work.
However, Hubbard was frequently informed that his small five-foot-eight stature would prevent him from being a successful college hoops player.
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“I believe that these individuals possess amazing narratives about not being the people that a coach saw right away when they entered the gym,” Antetokounmpo remarked. Or perhaps they were the individuals who were unlucky to suffer harm or lose the scholarship. Ultimately, though, they’re not finished yet.
“I repeat myself: I’m not finished yet,” he continued. “I want to keep getting better, keep going, and keep winning titles.” Many of these walk-on kids have the same mindset, in my opinion.
Additionally, Antetokounmpo and Degree have decided to assign a mentor to each player in order to support them in their endeavors to succeed in lives outside of basketball.
The chance to become a member of Degree’s Walk-On program will be awarded to a fifth participant based on fan vote following the March Madness tournament, which takes place from March 14 to April 3.