NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo may dominate on the basketball court, but at home, he’s just “Dad”—and that’s the title that matters most to him.

The Milwaukee Bucks forward, now a father of four, recently opened up about how being a dad has changed him, shaped his values, and even brought out a softer side that fans don’t often get to see.

“I love hugging my kids and kissing them and cuddling them and playing with them and wrestling them,” he told Parents magazine. “Growing up, I didn’t have that as much from my dad. So this is a soft side of me with my kids that a lot of people don’t know about. I want to keep it that way, just for my kids.”

Giannis and his wife, Mariah Riddlesprigger, welcomed their newest addition, baby Aria Capri, on May 1. They’re also raising three other little ones—Liam, 5, Maverick, 3, and Eva, 20 months. As any parent knows, raising four kids is no small feat, and Giannis admits he’s still learning.

“I have an incredible wife that pretty much shows me the ropes of how to take care of my kids,” he said. He also turns to his mother and older brother for parenting advice.

For Giannis, fatherhood is not just about love and playtime—it’s also about teaching strong values. “I’m a dad that’s straight to the point, big on respect,” he said. “Respect your mom, respect your dad, respect your elders, and make sure you’re grateful and appreciative of all the things.”

Even as a world-famous athlete, Giannis wants to shield his children from the pressures of fame. “Anything that has to do with fame and attention, it’s not in my house,” he shared. “I want them to feel like home is always their base… where they can feel safe, comfortable, and be themselves.”

That humble attitude comes from his own upbringing. Born in Greece to Nigerian immigrants, Giannis remembers when his family couldn’t even afford diapers. “My mom used to use bed sheets as diapers,” he said. That memory inspired him and Mariah to forgo a baby shower for their second son and instead raise money to donate diapers to families in need.

Now, through a partnership with Huggies and the Milwaukee Diaper Mission, Giannis is helping provide essentials to struggling families. “It’s something that makes my family proud,” he said. “And when my kids get older, they can see that as an example and copy it.”

Giannis hopes his children will grow up appreciating their Nigerian and Greek heritage. He often speaks Greek with them and sends them to Greek summer schools. Though they understand the language, they’re still learning to speak it fluently. “It’s a work in progress,” he joked.

At the end of the day, Giannis says his greatest hope isn’t that his kids follow in his basketball footsteps—but that they grow to love whatever they do. “I just want them to fall in love with the process of getting better,” he said. “Whether it’s basketball, being a doctor, or anything else, I want them to wake up every day and enjoy what they do.”

Faith, love, and family are clearly at the heart of this NBA star’s life—and it’s a legacy he hopes to pass on to his kids one diaper, cuddle, and Greek phrase at a time.