The Man behind the MVP

So to secure a sit-down interview with one of the busiest men in basketball, TMJ4 News decided to meet up with Saratsis, who is based in Chicago, for a Greek lunch at Avli River North.

THE N-B-A ALL STAR GAME TAKESOVER CHICAGO THIS WEEKEND...AND GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO WILLLEAD HIS TEAM OUT ONTO THEHARDWOOD AS ONE OF TWO TEAMCAPTAINS.

THE REIGNING M-V-PAND THE BUCKS BOAST THE BESTRECORD IN THE AND AS HEPREPARES FOR A TITLE RUN...AND PERHAPS A PIVOTAL SUMMEROF CONTRACT TALKS... WE SATDOWN WITH HIS AGENT FOR ANEXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW.

PETEZERVAKIS JOINS US WITH THESTORY YOU'LL ONLY SEE ONTODAY'S TMJ4.HOW DO YOU SECURE ANUNINTERRUPTED SIT DOWN WITHONE OF THE BUSIEST AGENTS INBASKETBALL?

SUGGEST GREEK FORLUNCH.JUST LIKE HIS JUST LIKE HISCLIENT GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO... ALEX SARATSIS IS BORN INGREECE.

125748 "now the maincourse is out" HE LIKES GREEKFOOD.

SO WE HAVE SOMETHING INCOMMON: 125912 (pz) so westarted with food on one tableand now, with just two of us,we've got all this... (as)Hey, this is Greek food, manOVER LUNCH AT AVLI INCHICAGO...SARATSIS REFLECTEDON HOW THE SKINNY KID THEBUCKS DRAFTED IN 2013... NATPOP - young Giannis YOUTUBEINTERVIEW: :22 I'm an allaround player BECAME A GLOBALSUPERSTAR.

:14 I thinkon-court performance is numberone THAT'S OBVIOUS.

BUTSARATSIS SAYS GIANNIS' LIFESTORY... OF GROWING UP INPOVERTY... MAKES HIM ONE OFTHE WORLD'S MOST MARKETABLEATHLETES.

:53 you could pointto so many people around theworld that grew up in thatenvironment that he did andwant to be successful, so theylook up to him 1:02 LOOK ATTHE CROWD GIANNIS DREW IN THEPHILLIPINES IN 2017.

LASTMONTH... THESE FANS WAITED TOSEE HIM AFTER THE BUCKS SOLDOUT A GAME IN PARIS.

BUTSARATSIS STILL REMEMBERS THEáLACK OF A CROWD AT ONE OFGIANNIS' FIRST GAMES AT THEBRADLEY CENTER: 3:15 itmust've been not even a thirdfull FAST FORWARD TO NOW: THEBUCKS ARE TITLE CONTENDERS FORTHE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW.

LASTSUMMER... A NATIONAL T-VAUDIENCE SAW HOW ROWDY THE NEWFISERV FORUM CAN BEPLAYOFFS.... 4:06 Do i thinkGiannis accelerated thegrowth?

Absolutely.

But iwouldn't attribute it entirelyto him - I think as anorganization as a wholethey've done a wonderful job4:14 HE SAYS IN SOME WAYSGIANNIS AND THE CITY HAVEDEVELOPED TOGETHER... 4:51 Hegrew up and is growing up tobe a man in the city ofMilwaukee.

I think he's alwaysgoing to appreciate that.

TOCONTINUE THAT GROWTH... THEBUCKS ARE EXPECTED TO OFFERGIANNIS A SUPERMAX CONTRACTTHIS SUMMER.

9:54(pz) is he aclient you could see stayingwith one team for a wholecareer?

(as) yeah - i thinkso.

Obviously everybody talksabout his impending freeagency.

I think everything isopen, i think he's someone whocould easily say "I'd like tobe in Milwaukee my entirecareer," I think he's someonewho, depending on how the teamgoes, could say "I need achange." (butt together) 10:23he won't let me think that farahead - he'll say, my focusright now is to win achampionship 10:29 SO ASGIANNIS FOCUSES ON A TITLERUN... SARATSIS SAYS FANSSHOULD TOO... 15:16 (pz) isthis a once in a generation,maybe once in a lifetime,chance for the people ofMilwaukee to have this guytheir (as) absolutely.absolutely.

(butt together)16:33 i think once he's doneplaying in the NBA, there'sgoing to be the generationthat grew up watching himthat's going to lament nothaving had more of anopportunity to watchALEX THINKS GIANNIS' PLAY THISSEASON GIVES HIM A GREATCHANCE TO WIN A SECONDSTRAIGHT M-V-P.

OF COURSE THETOP GOAL IS AN N-B-A TITLE.FIRST THINGS FIRST THOUGH:GIANNIS WANTS HIS TEAM TO WINTHIS WEEKEND'S ALL STAR GAME.AND ALEX AND I COVERED A WIDERANGE OF TOPICS IN OURINTERVIEW... AND WE'LL HAVESOME DIGITAL EXTRAS DROPPINGTHROUGHOUT THE DAY... ONTMJ4.C