It’s hard to imagine but it’s been seven years already since the-then skinny teenager Giannis Antetokounmpo left Greece to join the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA as a relative unknown with untapped potential that has blossomed so much he’s the league’s best player.

And it’s hard for Milwaukee fans to imagine he could leave the team for a bigger market club, a prospect that Steve Rushin of Sports Illustrated talked about in a TV interview there, citing how attached the Greek Freak as he’s called lovingly has become attached to the city.

“The family was really embraced by the city. The Bucks owner at the time was Herb Kohl,  he is the son of immigrants and he said Giannis’ story is very much like his … the family has adjusted beautifully,” said Rushin.

He added that Antetokounmpo is “is often cited for his humility despite being the best player in the league. Yet he comes to work every day trying to get better. And it’s the same off the court where he’s obssessed with the trappings of the NBA life, he’s obsessed with improving every day.” And he has.