'Rise' Disney Tells The True Story Of 3 Brothers From Nigeria Who Become Unlikely Basketball Stars - Movies

“When one person in the family scores, the whole family scores.” That’s the motto of the Antetokounmpo family, who went against the odds in a new feature film set to release this summer. 

Who doesn’t love a good family flick that teaches patience, resilience, and dedication? In that case, you don’t want to miss ‘Rise’ from Disney which tells of the true story of three brothers from Nigeria who become unlikely basketball stars. The odds of one brother making it to the NBA were slim, but the odds of all three making it to the NBA is nothing short of God’s miraculous blessing. 

The story begins with parents Charles and Vera Antetokounmpo, who struggled to provide for their five children in Nigeria, and they immigrated to Greece in hopes of obtaining Greek citizenship. But the family’s hopes and dreams are undermined at every turn and they are threatened daily with deportation as the Greek government officials and citizens harass them. 

At the same time, the parents are still trying to bring their eldest son to the country, who was left behind in Nigeria, with relatives. In order to make a living, the family sells items to tourists on the streets, but they come together to train, pray, and lift each other up as the brothers Giannis, Thanasis, and Kostas learn to play basketball. The three brothers then discover not only can they play basketball, but they were also born with the talent. 

Giannis is then noticed by an agent who helps him get entered into the NBA draft even though Giannis was told by others he didn’t belong, that he wasn’t enough, and his dream was an impossible dream. But God’s prosperous hand-guided Giannis all the way through. 

If you want a true story that has miracle after miracle, this is the film of the summer to watch. Especially because all three brothers are NBA stars and they owe it all to the glory of God. 

Micah 7:8 “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.”