Giannis Antetokounmpo . PHOTO: 

COURTESY OF PRIME VIDEO

In a new documentary about his life from Prime Video Sports, NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo, 29, acknowledges that he almost gave up on basketball after the deаth of his father, Charles Antetokounmpo, in 2017.

Giannis: The Marvelous Journey’s debut teaser, which PEOPLE exclusively revealed, features Antetokounmpo, 29, and his family members discussing the impact of their sad loss on their family.

“I said, ‘I don’t want to play no more,'” In the teaser, Giannis says this before his fiancée, Mariah Riddlesprigger, remembers. “I thought he was done.”

Three years into Giannis’s NBA career, Charles suicidally passed away in Milwaukee from a heart аttаck at the age of 54.

Nevertheless, despite losing his father, Giannis didn’t give up on the sport he loved and went on to become one of the best basketball players of all time.

In the teaser, Giannis declares, “Go conquer the world; we’re all going to ʀie one day.”

Beginning with the choice made by Giannis’s parents, Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo, to leave Nigeria for Greece when Giannis and his brothers were young, the Prime Video documentary follows Giannis’s journey from a poor childhood in Greece as the son of Nigerian immigrants to the pinnacle of the basketball world.

According to Veronica, she and her spouse “left Nigeria looking for a better life” for their kids. But living in Greece turned out to have a distinct set of difficulties.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Antetokounmpo, Veronica “Vera” Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Kostas Antetokounmpo attend the world premiere of Rise. 

ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY

As immigrants in Greece, Giannis’ brothers Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex Antetokounmpo spoke of living “in feаr” and how Giannis was “always trying to protect” his family.

During the clip, Giannis states, “You want the best for your brothers,” while crying. “I’m just a hard worker who’s trying to survive,” he continues, “Because I’m scаred of losing all of this.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo. ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN/GETTY

Giannis and his brothers remember watching NBA highlights from local internet cafes in Greece before he even imagined of playing professionally. There, they saw the plays of players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, who would later be opponents of Giannis in the league.

Currently, his brother Thanasis is a player for the Milwaukee Bucks.After leading the Bucks to the NBA championship in 2021, Giannis cemented his status as the greatest basketball player of all time.

In the teaser, Giannis states, “The difference between a coward and a hero…it’s how you deal with feаr.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo in “Giannis: The Marvelous Journey”. 

COURTESY OF AMAZON MGM STUDIOS

The Words + Pictures-produced and Kristen Lappas-directed Prime Video Sports movie is the first time Giannis’s family has shared first-hand narratives about their shared experience.

A number of NBA players, including Jason Kidd, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Kenny Smith, Vin Baker, and Ernie Johnson, are interviewed for the documentary.