Giannis Antetokounmpo Named GQ's 2021 'Athlete Of The Year'

NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo has had quite the year in his personal and professional life. Now he can add being named GQ's 2021 "Athlete of the Year" to his list of many accomplishments.

GQ announced Antetokounmpo as 2021's "Athlete of the Year" in the 26th annual Men of the Year issue on Monday (November 15).

The magazine says this year they looked to be more specific with who they chose for the 26th issue:

"This year, however, we wanted to get a little more specific. You see, as we started to identify the influential folks who made the biggest and most heroic impact on 2021, we found that they all share a certain trait: Bravery."

In fact, we feel that bravery is the most important and timely asset of this moment, and are calling 2021 The Year of the Brave. So we looked across the culture for people who embody the spirit of bravery, starting with the three cover stars that we're announcing here."

When talking about Antetokounmpo and his bravery, GQ wrote:

"There's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who does not want to be the new face of the NBA but probably can't stop it from happening anyway—because of his inspiring life story, unrivaled determination in competition, preternatural charisma, and that awe-inspiring performance in this year's NBA playoffs."