Nike Presents An “Ode To Your First Love” To Giannis Antetokounmpo

Long before Giannis Antetokounmpo started winning NBA Championships and MVP Awards, his primary sport growing up was soccer. That’s because his father, Charles Antetokounmpo, played... © Sneaker News, 2024. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us The post Nike Presents An “Ode To Your First Love” To Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared first on Sneaker News. The post Nike Presents An “Ode To Your First Love” To Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared first on Sneaker News.

Long before Giannis Antetokounmpo started winning NBA Championships and MVP Awards, his primary sport growing up was soccer. That’s because his father, Charles Antetokounmpo, played professionally in Nigeria before relocating to Athens two years before Giannis was born. Naturally, being the son of a soccer pro, Giannis fell in love with the sport at a young age, and now he tells that story on a new Nike Zoom Freak 5 called “Ode To Your First Love”.

The shoes come packed with soccer tie-ins, the most apparent being a liberal use of reflective silver material often found on retro boots, gradually transitioning into a mixed gradient towards the eyelets and heel. Vintage Nike Soccer branding adorns the right shoe alongside “Freak” text, while the blue shade aligns with the Greek National Team’s jerseys, which you can find Giannis wearing in pictures with his late father.

Giannis has said that his father initially wanted him to pursue soccer growing up, but remained supportive of his basketball pursuits nonetheless. Today, Giannis maintains a vested interest in the sport through an ownership stake in MLS club Nashville SC and everlasting Arsenal fandom.

Enjoy official images of the Nike Zoom Freak 5 “Ode To Your First Love” below and return to our Sneaker Release Dates page for updates on the shoe’s arrival. In related Nike Basketball news, take a first look at the Nike Kobe 8 Protro “EYBL” PE.