'Ugo is who I always will be': Top moments from Giannis Antetokounmpo's trip to Nigeria

"We don't know who we are until we know where we're from."

For Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, he knows a lot of about the place where he grew up, Greece, but only knew about his Nigerian heritage through his parents.

He wanted to know more and felt it was necessary to visit the African continent. So he did.

Antetokounmpo and his mother, Veronica Antetokounmpo, visited his homeland last summer. The experience was filmed and released Tuesday in a new documentary, titled "Ugo: A Homecoming Story."

The film can be watched on Amazon Prime or YouTube and is presented by WhatsApp, a Meta product, which Giannis said he used frequently to communicate with his family in Nigeria.

Here are some of the highlights from the Antetokounmpos homecoming.

Giannis finds a Bucks jersey at the Balogun Market

One of Giannis' stops was Balogun Market, a sprawling street market located in the heart of Lagos Island.

As the NBA superstar traveled along the road with his entourage, he spotted something that caught his eye, and demanded the driver stop the shuttle.

Up for sale at the market was a black Giannis Bucks jersey. "How much is this?" Giannis asks as he proceeds to bargain with the vendor about the price. The vendor seemingly unaware that Giannis is standing in front of him.

"This is the crazy part, the guy giving me the jersey had no idea who I was," Giannis said. "He knew who Giannis Antetokounmpo was, but he didn't know it was me that he was selling the jersey to. That was an even crazier experience."

Giannis visits New Afrika Shrine for Fela Kuti

Although growing up in Europe, Giannis said he grew up in a Nigerian household, from the food to the music. Veronica and Giannis' father, Charles, would often play Nigerian musicians in the home.

Giannis got to visit New Afrika Shrine, which was created to honor legendary Nigerian musician and political activist, Fela Kuti.

"I listen to Afrobeat almost every single day," Giannis said. "Being able to go back there and see where all these things I enjoy today started from. It made proud. A lot of talents from around the world are from Nigeria."

Giannis joins in on youth basketball tournament

Of course, at some point basketball had to be played.

Giannis visited Rowe Park in Lagos and played with Nigerian children on the basketball court where NBA great Hakeem Olajuwon was discovered.

"Everyday when you wake up, you have to try to be better, you have to improve," Giannis told the kids. "You have the tools to get drafted in the NBA, but you have to work."

"Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the best players to ever play this game. He's one of the best. He came from this court, so why can you guys not come from this court?"

Giannis said he sees a lot of his game in the kids playing at Rowe Park that day. He said he now understands some of the movements he makes in his game is in large part due to his Nigerian heritage.

Giannis meets his extended family for the first time

As a child, Giannis spent hours on the phone speaking to relatives in Nigeria. He didn't think he would get the chance to meet them.

"This is my family. This is my uncle. He looks just like me," Giannis joked.

"It was a great experience to go back and see people that I've never met in my life, people that I've talked to on the phone for hours and hours."

The Antetokounmpos then enjoy an authentic Nigerian meal, which Giannis said is a big hit for his Bucks teammates, both present and past.

"The year we won the championship, some of my teammates came to the house and ate," Giannis said. "Always whenever they come to Milwaukee, they want my mom to cook."

Soon, the family reunion turned into a party, filled with singing and dancing. Veronica Antetokounmpo said she was one of the best dancers in her village as a child. She hadn't been to Nigeria in 35 years.

"It was very exciting to just see my mom very, very happy," Giannis said, adding that it was as if there was not a distance between her and her relatives, as they went back-and-forth on who was the stubborn or pretty sibling. "It just reminded me of me and my brothers," Giannis said.

Giannis discusses his Nigerian name, Ugo

Giannis' Nigerian name is Ugo. He said it is reserved for the people closest to him.

"I've been called Ugo my whole life. The closest people to me call me Ugo. When somebody like call me Ugo or Ugigi, I know it's somebody that I know, somebody that's close to me and that knows me."

Giannis said he was taken aback when his relatives called him Ugo. "Wait, hold on, you don't know me like that," he said. "But then I understand this is family."

He joked that at his home, what ethnicity he and his brothers identified with created a rivalry between his parents. Veronica is of Igbo heritage, while Charles is from the Yoruba people.

Nigeria trip gives Giannis 'a different perspective on life'

The trip to Nigeria gave Giannis "a different perspective on life," he said.

"I'm very glad that I had this trip with my mom. I've seen incredible things. I made incredible memories. I've met incredible people," Giannis said.

"At the end of the day you can say you're Nigerian, but you gotta go back, you have to go back. It allowed me to understand better who I am and what kind of person I want to be. What kind of son, what kind of husband, what kind of father I want to be.

"Ugo is who I am. Ugo is who I always will be."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Best moments from Giannis Antetokounmpo film 'Ugo: A Homecoming Story'