Giannis Antetokounmpo has 'the same mentality' as college walk-ons, and he's helping give them NIL deals ahead of March Madness

• Giannis Antetokounmpo relates to the experience of college walk-ons and thinks they deserve more.
• The two-time NBA MVP teamed up with Degree to give four D-I walk-ons NIL deals and mentorship.

It's hard to remember a time when Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn't renowned as the "Greek Freak" absolutely dominating the NBA.

But Giannis Antetokounmpo remembers that time well. It shapes his mindset to this very day.

"When I came to the NBA, I was 18 years old, and I wasn't the guy that played right away," Antetokounmpo told Insider. "But my attitude was always great. I wanted to learn; I wanted to improve; I asked questions. I went and I was around my teammates every single day — the vets that knew the game of basketball better than me.

"And then when my opportunity came, I took advantage of it," he added. "I stayed ready."

And though he never played in college, he says his experience is not all that dissimilar to that of a college walk-on. Like the Milwaukee Bucks forward before he rose into superstardom, these players fulfill a crucial role for the team — and they often do it away from the spotlight.

Antetokounmpo wants those players — who do not receive scholarships to be part of their teams — to get the recognition they deserve. So ahead of March Madness this year, the two-time MVP partnered with Degree to offer four walk-ons from Division I programs $25,000 NIL deals to help them continue their careers without worrying about the cost that comes with it.

"At the end of the day, it's not about the first, the second, the third player. It's not about the star of the team. It's about the end of the bench," Antetokounmpo said. "Even though they're not on the floor, they have things to contribute.

"They want to keep on improving," he added. "They have so much to give to their teams."

Take Andre Johnson Jr., a UConn freshman whose devastating leg injury in high school resulted in college programs rescinding their scholarship offers. Or Lauren Zwetzig, who assumed her playing days were behind her when she transferred to Notre Dame from a Division III school.

Neither Johnson nor Zwetzig gave up on their hoop dreams, and now they're walk-ons at their respective schools. Like Antetokounmpo, "they're not done yet."

It's a similar story for Wisconsin's Ronnie Porter and Duke's Spencer Hubbard. Porter turned down offers from other schools to pursue a future in nonprofit work before proving herself as a member of the Badgers' practice squad. Hubbard, meanwhile, was repeatedly overlooked thanks to his slight 5-foot-8 frame.

"I feel like these people have incredible stories of not being the people that a coach saw immediately when they walked into the gym," Antetokounmpo said. "Or maybe they were those people and they were unfortunate to get hurt or not to get the scholarship. But at the end of the day, they're not done yet.

"I always say the same thing: I'm not done yet," he added. "I wanna keep on improving, keep on moving, keep on winning championships. This is the same mentality I see in a lot of these kids who are walk-ons."

And when the time comes for these walk-ons to pivot away from the hardwood, Antetokounmpo and Degree have them covered. Each player will be paired with a mentor to help them pursue successful careers beyond basketball.

Another worthy athlete will get the chance to join Johnson, Zwetzig, Porter, and Hubbard in the Degree Walk-On program. From March 9 to March 19, fans can nominate a fifth walk-on who overcame adversity to continue playing hoops to receive the same NIL deal and mentorship opportunity.