Giannis Antetokounmpo may have spent much of his recent viral livestreams with streamer NEON talking about basketball and Greek culture, but one of the touching moments came when the two-time MVP revealed how he met his wife, Mariah Riddlesprigger.
NEON: “Seriously, where did you meet your wife?”
Giannis Antetokounmpo: “Miami.”
NEON: “Do you remember the exact moment you saw her and thought, ‘Oh my God, she’s the one’? Was it love at first sight?”
Giannis Antetokounmpo: “Yes. I knew she would be my wife. I knew it immediately. I met her in Vegas. After Vegas, I tried to talk to her, but it didn’t work out. Then later she said, ‘I want to get to know you.’ I said, ‘You want to get to know me?’ So I started flying to Miami. You know how a lot of girls say, ‘You’re going to fly me out?’ I was like, ‘Mm-mm.'”
“She was like, ‘Say less.’ A week later, I was in Miami, and she showed up. I was like, ‘You came?’ She said, ‘Yeah, I want to get to know you.’ Then she started spending time with my mom and my dad while he was still alive. The moment I saw her, I knew she was the person I wanted to be with. From the moment she came to Miami until today, she has never left my side. Now we have four kids.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo shares story of how he met his wife in Miami:
“I knew she would be my wife immediately…. She was like ‘I want to get to know you’ so I said let’s meet in Miami. A lot of girls say ‘you gonna fly me out?’ (giannis shakes head). A week later I was in Miami,… pic.twitter.com/c09KRQPlFn
— Heat Central (@TheHeatCentral) July 6, 2026
Giannis and Mariah have become one of the NBA’s most recognizable couples. From his rise from a raw prospect in Milwaukee to his rise to the two-time MVP and an NBA champion, Mariah has remained a constant presence alongside him.
Their relationship was not the only viral moment from the livestream.
Earlier, Giannis stunned NEON, who is a Muslim, that one of the traditional Greek dishes contained pork. NEON tried to spit the food out as the moment became viral across social media.
Giannis also spoke about his recent trade to the Miami Heat and admitted the risks with such a move. He even hinted that he could return to the Milwaukee Bucks one day, as they are set to retire his iconic No. 34 jersey.
Even with all the speculation surrounding basketball, it was Giannis’ love story that may have left the biggest impression.
Giannis And Mariah’s Relationship Has Been Built Over Nearly A Decade
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s story with Mariah Riddlesprigger is one of the NBA’s strongest long-term relationships. The couple first met in 2014, shortly after Giannis had entered the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks. The two started dating during the early years of his NBA career.
From that point, Mariad became a constant presence next to Giannis. And she has been repeatedly credited for helping him stay grounded despite his fame and success.
The couple had their first child, Liam Charles Antetokounmpo, in February 2020. And then welcomed Maverick Shai Antetokounmpo, who was born in August 2021, and Eva Brooke Antetokounmpo in September 2023. They had their fourth child in 2025, when they welcomed Ariel Antetokounmpo.
After nearly a decade together, the two officially tied the knot in August 2024, in a private ceremony in Greece attended by family, friends and other NBA stars.
Despite Giannis being a superstar, the couple has largely kept their family out of the spotlight. But Mariah regularly shows up at his games and major international events, just as the two-time MVP speaks about how important she has been for his career.
