Giannis Antetokounmpo is a leading candidate for MVP and has possibly become the best player in the league this season.

Antetokounmpo was born in Greece and was the 15th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, arriving in the NBA without the typical hype of players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Shaquille O'Neal or even Stephen Curry, who would go on to become MVPs and highly popular figures.

“I didn’t expect myself to be getting that close and tight with LeBron James because he’s (expletive) LeBron, (expletive) LeBron James, man," Antetokounmpo said. "Coming into the league, I never saw myself as one of the best players in the league and being that LeBron type of player. That’s the truth. I could say, ‘Yes, I always thought I could be like LeBron James or better or whatever,’ but that’s not the truth.”

Antetokounmpo is generally a private person despite his outward charm and charisma.

“A lot of people say that I can be the face of the league," Antetokounmpo said. "Lately, people have told me … the closest people, you know, my family, my girlfriend, my mom, my brothers, people say that I cannot be the face of the league because I’m not American, I don’t have the American culture in me.

"I sat back and thought about that; should I have a little bit more American swag, should I come with a suit to the game, should I be more Americanized? But, man, if I can’t be the face of the league being me, I don’t want to be the face of the league. That’s pretty much it.”