Giannis Antetokounmpo Confirms Marriage to Wife Mariah Riddlesprigger: ‘Celebration of Our Love’ (Exclusive)
The couple share three children together: sons Liam Charles and Maverick Shai and daughter Eva Brooke
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Mariah Riddlesprigger are teammates for life!
When speaking with PEOPLE exclusively at a launch event in partnership with Degree on Monday, Sept. 23, the Milwaukee Bucks star confirmed he married his longtime girlfriend in Greece surrounded by family and friends.
Antetokounmpo, who was born and raised in Athens before moving to the U.S. after being selected by the Bucks in the 2013 NFL Draft, says he and Riddlesprigger "always talked about" returning to Greece to have their wedding.
This was a choice they decided on "as a couple," the NBA player says of their destination wedding. "We were able to have all of the people that were close to us, our family," he recalls.
"Most of my teammates, Bucks teammates, ex-teammates... they were there," Antetokounmpo continues, noting that his "friends and business partners" were also in attendance. "My kids were there," he's sure to add.
Antetokounmpo and Riddlesprigger are the parents of three children: sons Maverick Shai and Liam Charles, and daughter Eva Brooke.
The couple has been known to keep their personal lives private over the years, which is why their wedding ceremony was low-key too. While little details have been made public about the special day, Antetokounmpo tells PEOPLE the event was held "four hours away" from his hometown.
"We had an incredible few days there together. We had fun," Antetokounmpo he recalls. "It was a celebration of our love. Now we've become one. And I'm happy that we did it. I feel like a lot of people had fun."
While they haven't shared the exact date they tied the knot, both Antetokounmpo and Riddlesprigger shared posts on Instagram from Greece in early September. "The good life! Taking over my instagram again!! 🇬🇷🤎🧿" the couple wrote alongside a carousel of images in a joint post.
"Sometimes you gotta pop out and show," read the caption of another roundup of photos, featuring Riddlesprigger wearing in a white dress and smiling from ear to ear.
The two-time NBA MVP and Riddlesprigger have been together for several years, though they’ve always kept their relationship private.
Antetokounmpo’s announcement of their engagement was similarly low-key, as he slipped in the news during a comment at a press conference in September 2023.
While speaking about the couple’s volunteer work with Milwaukee’s Diaper Mission, Antetokounmpo said, “Soon [I’m going] to be married to this beautiful woman next to me.”
Riddlesprigger, who could also be seen wearing a large diamond ring on her left finger, then briefly cracked a smile while her fiancé shared the exciting news. She later confirmed the engagement to PEOPLE, though the couple didn’t share any further details on the timeline or the actual proposal.
Days later, the couple welcomed their third child together, daughter Eva Brooke. She joined the couples’ two sons, Liam, who was born in 2020, and Maverick, born in 2021.
In a joint Instagram post, they announced the news as they shared a photo of their sons beside a baby carrier. “Welcome Home Eva Brooke Antetokounmpo 🤍 Daddy’s Little Girl and Brothers' Baby Sister 👦🏽👦🏽👧🏽,” read the caption.
Antetokounmpo later celebrated Riddlesprigger’s birthday as he asked to “spent the next 100 years” with her in a sweet Instagram post. “Love you babe happy birthday 🤎🤎.”
The fashion entrepreneur has also paid her respects to her man online. On his 27th birthday in 2022, she wrote in a heartfelt post, “Giannis, I seriously adore everything about you. My life would be dull without your light. The father you are to our boys is breathtaking. Happy Birthday My Love I promise this year is going to be magical 💛.”
She's also thanked him for making her life a "fairytale" as she dedicated a random Instagram post to him last April. "This post is simply dedicated to the man who has made all of my wildest dreams come true!"
Part of what Riddlesprigger loves about her now-husband is his dedication to giving back. "If Giannis or someone is passionate about something, we all get behind each other, and we help them move forward with it,” she told PEOPLE of the work the couple do through his family’s foundation, the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation (CAFF), which is named in honor of Giannis’ late father.
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She said it’s "amazing" and "heartwarming" to see how her family is impacting the community — especially her beau. "It shows that he's so much more than a basketball player.”
"Yeah, people enjoy watching him on the screen or watching him in person run up and down the court and do all these amazing things, but off the court people don't get to see 100% of him," she continued. "He's this genuine person, and I think it's just amazing. He enjoys doing what he does and meeting people."
Antetokounmpo's outgoing and genuine personality was clear when opening up to PEOPLE at the launch event in New York City on Monday in partnership with Degree. The basketball player released the limited-edition Greek Freak Antiperspirant Deodorant, which is available at Walmart.
"We have the same vision, the same values. It's a great fit," he says of teaming up with Degree. "They allow me and be playful and fun. That's what I did the deodorant, which is pretty awesome!"
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