Disney+ just revealed a new trailer for Rise, a movie based on the life of NBA Champion Giannis Antetokounmpo. In the film, Uche Agada plays the Milwaukee Bucks superstar at the beginning of his basketball journey. Hailing from Nigeria, the Antetokounmpos immigrated to Greece in the hopes of securing a better life for their children. A coach saw Giannis and his brother Thanasis selling fruit one day and thought they could be dynamic basketball players. From there, the legend only grew as they rose up the ranks to elite competition overseas. The journey, of course, culminates in the Greek Freak claiming another NBA Championship for the city of Milwaukee as one of the league’s most unlikely stories. It’s fun, family-oriented entertainment that shares a story of perseverance that everyone can appreciate. Check out the clip for yourself down below.
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“I am thrilled and honored that Disney+ is bringing my family’s story to people all over the world,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “My hope is that it will inspire those in similar circumstances to keep the faith, stay true to their goals and not to give up on striving for a better life.”
Here’s how Disney+ is describing the movie: “Audiences have never seen a story like that of the Antetokounmpos. After emigrating from Nigeria to Greece, Charles and Vera Antetokounmpo (Dayo Okeniyi and Yetide Badaki, respectively) struggled to survive and provide for their five children, while living under the daily threat of deportation. With their oldest son still in Nigeria with relatives, the couple were desperate to obtain Greek citizenship but found themselves undermined by a system that blocked them at every turn. When they weren’t selling items to tourists on the streets of Athens with the rest of the family, the brothers – Giannis (Uche Agada) and Thanasis (Ral Agada) – would play basketball with a local youth team.”
“Latecomers to the sport, they discovered their great abilities on the basketball court and worked hard to become world class athletes, along with brother, Kostas (Jaden Osimuwa). With the help of an agent, Giannis entered the NBA Draft in 2013 in a long shot prospect that would change not only his life but the life of his entire family. And last season, Giannis and Thanasis helped bring the Milwaukee Bucks their first championship ring in 50 years, while Kostas played for the previous season champs, the Los Angeles Lakers.”
Will you be checking out Rise once it releases? Let us know down in the comments below! If you haven’t signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.
