Everyone knows how Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and his rise out of poverty. The Greek Freak went from selling watches on the streets of Athens, Greece, to international stardom, a two-time NBA MVP, an NBA champion, and one of the highest-paid players in the league.
Of course, it wasn’t an effortless journey. Giannis worked difficult both before and after being drafted by the Bucks in 2013 to get to this point. His inspiring story has been documented in both a book and a movie.
But he’s not the only Bucks player who has overcome enormous odds and poverty to make it to the NBA. Year Three MarJon Beauchampalso had to overcome some incredible challenges to get to where he is.
Milwaukee Bucks forward MarJon Beauchamp was at one point homeless
Beauchamp had to overcome many obstacles growing up and on his way to the NBA. He bounced from high school to high school to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA. At one point, as a teenager, he was homeless.
Beauchamp rose to fame at Dream City Christian School in Arizona before returning home to Washington state to graduate from Eisenhower High School. He turned down multiple Division I scholarships to attend an NBA prep program, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the program to be canceled.
Instead, Beauchamp attended Yakima Valley College for a year, where he averaged 30.7 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, before playing for the G League Ignite before the Bucks selected him in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Milwaukee Bucks star MarJon Beauchamp becomes first NBA player to host All-Native basketball tournament
On Tuesday Seattle Times reported that Beauchamp, who is Native American, became the first NBA player to ever host an All-Native basketball tournament. It consisted of teams from several states in the U.S. and Canada. According to Seattle Times:
“It’s just bigger than basketball,” Beauchamp said. “I believe I’m put on this earth to inspire others; I just feel it in my heart. I remember when I was a kid, I had no hope and no faith in myself and I never thought I’d ever be in this situation. I just want to be that hope for these kids, give them the resources that I have. I just want to make them believe.”
As a descendant of Mission Indians and the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians of Southern California, he had one rule for the tournament: participants had to be Native Americans.
“It’s important to me to represent the Native American community,” Beachamp said. “I’m one of the few — one of two — in the NBA. Native Americans, we’re not at the top of the list. I just want to try to promote it and get the word out.”
In two seasons with the Bucks, Beauchamp averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Milwaukee expects him to take a massive step forward in the 2024-25 season. If he does, it will lend a hand him raise awareness and spread the word about the needs of the Native American community.
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