Giannis Adetokunbo[1] was born in Athens, Greece, on December 6, 1994, the son of immigrants from Nigeria.[8][9][10] Three years earlier, his parents had moved from Lagos, leaving their firstborn son, Francis, under the care of his grandparents.[11] Adetokunbo grew up in the Athens neighborhood of Sepolia.[10] His parents, as immigrants, could not easily find work, so Giannis and his older brother, Thanasis, helped by hawking watches, handbags and sunglasses in the streets.[12] In 2007, Adetokunbo started playing basketball.[7]