Milwaukee mural of Giannis nears completion

MILWAUKEE - A giant mural in Milwaukee honoring Giannis Antetokounmpo is catching the MVP’s attention.

FOX6 met with the muralist Sunday morning, May 8, as he put the finishing touches on the project celebrating a champion.

With paint and precision, Mauricio Ramirez's vision has come to life.

"Today’s a final day that will be laying on paint for the mural," said Ramirez.

He has sprayed his heart into the mural of the Milwaukee Bucks star.

"We’re right at the finish line. We’re in the fourth quarter," he said.

Near Wisconsin and Van Buren, his work stands tall.

Earlier this month, Ramirez took us 50 feet in the air, giving us an up-close look at the beginning stages.

People like John Simonis and his daughter, Diana, stopped to admire the work Sunday.

"We were talking about how detailed the mural was and how much he means to our city," said John Simonis.

In a post-game press conference Saturday, Antetokounmpo called the mural amazing.

"Playing basketball, you never expect things like that to happen. You just play basketball. You love the game. You enjoy the game. I feel like once you dedicate yourself to your team and to the city, people feel that," Giannis said.

The shading and detail are mesmerizing: The hair, the jersey, the triceps.

"We’re not showing his face. What’s the next thing we identify? His physical structure and his muscles, showing his strength," said Ramirez.

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This project has pushed Ramirez. He has a hope for those who see the finished product.

"I think one of the things is that I want people to feel some sort of confidence for the city, not only with sports, but with art," said Ramirez.

Antetokounmpo says his mom told him about the mural.

You can see Ramirez's work at 600 East Wisconsin Avenue. It's hard to miss.