It was announced today that two-time NBA All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the cover athlete for the standard edition of the upcoming latest release in the NBA 2K series, NBA 2K19.

The Milwaukee Bucks' Greek star will be the first ever international player on the cover of the game's standard edition. The first five editions all featured then-Philadelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson on the cover; later editions have seen LeBron James (2014), Kevin Durant Durant (2015) and Paul George (2017) get the prestigious honour.

In a statement, Antetokounmpo said; “I am honored to be the first international player featured on the cover of NBA 2K19. I love playing NBA 2K so this means a lot to me."

"I have worked hard to earn recognition in the NBA, and being on the cover of NBA 2K19 is a dream come true.”

Last season, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a 44-38 record and a game seven in the first round of the Playoffs versus the Boston Celtics. He had a career-best campaign, recording 26.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, shooting 52.9% from the field, and was voted in as an All-Star starter.

“Giannis is the future of the NBA and his drive and athleticism have made him an undeniable force in the league,” said Alfie Brody, vice president of marketing for NBA 2K. “He’s the perfect cover athlete and we’re excited to feature him as our very first international cover star, as NBA 2K has a strong following with fans all over the world.”

NBA 2K announced earlier this summer that LeBron would serve as the cover athlete on the 20th Anniversary Edition of NBA 2K19.