NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo has joined the growing list of athletes who have started a media company. He is the co-founder of the yet-to-be-announced Improbable Media. He established the company with ex-NBA star and ESPN host Jay Williams.
The company is already advertising for a VP of Branded Entertainment and has the ambition of creating original and commercial projects across media platforms, according to Business Insider. The news outlet said the company’s content will reflect Antetokounmpo’s interests in empowerment and charity.
“We’re establishing a state-of-the-art content studio that not only generates revenue but also nurtures passion-driven communities while offering innovative marketing solutions to brands. With our media and brand consultancy arm, we’re on a mission to redefine the world of branded entertainment,” reads the job posting.
Starting a media company adds to the NBA star’s growing business empire. After successfully guiding the Milwaukee Bucks to win their first NBA championship in 50 years, the Greek-Nigerian purchased a stake in Major League Baseball side Milwaukee Brewers.
The purchase made the two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) the first new individual investor added to the Brewers ownership group since Mark Attanasio purchased a controlling interest in the Milwaukee Brewers in 2005.
In August, Antetokounmpo and his brothers Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex joined Serena Williams and her sister Venus Williams as owners of the Los Angeles Golf Club, the inaugural team of Tiger Woods’ TGL golf league. Months before that, the brothers became minority investors in Major League Soccer (MLS) club Nashville SC.
From humble beginnings, Antetokounmpo was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 15th overall pick in 2013 following a stint with Greek basketball team Filathlitikos.
In an interview with The Undefeated in 2019, Antetokounmpo spoke about his upbringing in a Nigerian household in Greece and how it has shaped his life.
“I grew up in a Nigerian home,” he said. “Obviously, I was born in Greece and went to school in Greece. But at the end of the day when I go home, there is no Greek culture. It’s straight-up Nigerian culture. It’s about discipline, it’s about respecting your elders, having morals.”
“I want to see where my family comes from, where my mom was raised, see my family, see where my dad was raised. That is very important. I hope my kids can do the same thing for me,” he said at the time. “Obviously, I am going to have kids that are going to grow up in the U.S., but one day I hope they can go back [to Greece] and visit and see where I grew up, the playground I was playing.”
Antetokounmpo is now the latest athlete to start a media company after LeBron James’ SpringHill, Stephen Curry’s Unanimous Media, and so on.
