A Wisconsin crochet prodigy made blankets for Giannis' sons after getting Bucks tickets from Michael Strahan

Just like Giannis Antetokounmpo is a superstar in the basketball world, Jonah Larson is a superstar in the crocheting community.

At just 15 years old, Larson of La Crosse has been featured on TV shows, in national publications, and has written books.

With a little bit of luck, he met Antetokounmpo — his "idol" — in spring 2021 and gave him a blanket for his son, Liam.

And last weekend, with the help of a whole lot of Twitter followers — plus Michael Strahan — Larson was able to ensure Antetokounmpo's second son, Maverick, has a blanket of his own.

"As a sibling myself, I'm certainly glad to know that when one gets one, the other one got it as well," said Jonah, who has two older brothers.

Here's how it all came together.

After a Twitter plea, Jonah's blanket made it to center court — and then to Giannis

In January, 15-year-old Larson was featured on a kid creator series on "Good Morning America."

After the show, Strahan told Jonah he knew a Bucks owner and could get tickets for the Larson family.

"Of course, Jonah was all excited," said Jennifer Larson, Jonah's mom. "I said, 'Jonah, it probably won't happen. It was a nice gesture.' "

But a day later, getting the family to a game was already in the works.

Using only his fingers, Larson — who can speed crochet — knocked out a reversible blanket for Maverick in just two hours. It featured the Bucks logo in blue and white at the center, and an "extra special" design on the edges.

"I loved how it turned out," Larson said.

Unsure of how they were going to get the blanket to Antetokounmpo, Jonah asked his Twitter followers — he has 16,600 of 'em — if anyone could help.

"Boy, were people nice!" Jennifer said. "They were spreading it around and around and around."

Jonah's message made it to Bucks personnel. When he and his family made it to Fiserv Forum on Sunday, they were invited to the pre-game warm-up, and Jonah got to get his picture taken at center court with his blanket and high-five players when the starting lineup was announced, Jennifer said.

"The players look big on TV, but when you're like 10 feet away from them, they're huge," Jonah said.

The family also had floor seats at center court and access to a VIP room full of food including prime rib, Jennifer said.

"It was just the most special day for our family," Jennifer said.

Jonah gave the blanket to Bucks personnel to give to Antetokounmpo. The next day, Jennifer said she got an email from the Bucks, assuring her that the MVP did indeed receive the gift.

"The fact that I can take a ball of yarn and my hands, and give it to someone who's my idol ... I'm so glad that both of his sons are able to have a handmade Jonah's Hands blanket," Jonah said.

How Jonah got the blanket he made for Giannis' first son to him

Around spring of 2021, Larson received tickets to a Bucks game — his first ever.

"Jonah thought, 'If I get to go to the game, I'm going to make Giannis' Liam a blanket," Jennifer said.

While Jennifer told Jonah he probably wouldn't be able to give the blanket to Giannis, he brought it just in case.

Jonah — who attended the game with his dad and one of his brothers — ended up being seated next to a Bucks co-owner, who invited them into a VIP area following the game, Jennifer said. They expected that Jonah would be giving the blanket to someone who would get it to the basketball star.

Then out walked Antetokounmpo himself.

He went up to Jonah and said: "Hey, little man," Jennifer said.

Jonah gave Antetokounmpo the blanket and they chatted for a bit before Antetokounmpo took his jersey off, signed it and gave it to Jonah.

"That was just such an exciting moment," Jonah said. "It was even better because both my mom and dad, and me especially, look up to Giannis. He's an African American male, he's a team player, he works hard for everything he's earned and he loves his mom."

How Larson got into crocheting

When Jonah was 5 years old, Jennifer's sister gave her a box of craft items she was getting rid of, according to a previous Journal Sentinel report. Jonah noticed the shiny crochet hook and asked what it was used for.

A YouTube tutorial and an hour later, he had made his first dishcloth.

He started making hats, scarves, mittens and blankets for his own entertainment and for family members and neighbors.

In 2018, Jennifer launched an Instagram account, Jonah's Hands, for him to show off some of his creations.

Jonah said he loves crocheting because it's therapeutic and relaxing for him, and he enjoys being able to make other people happy through his work.

From an article in his hometown paper to going viral

In 2019, Jonah's hometown paper, the La Crosse Tribune, published an article about him, which was picked up by "Inside Edition," "GMA" and NPR, among others.

He went viral. In less than a month, his Instagram followers soared from 2,400 to more than 80,000.

Fast-forward to 2023, he has 395,000 followers on Instagram, 258,000 on Facebook and 145,000 YouTube subscribers.

He's made several appearances on TV shows, including "The Drew Barrymore Show" and "Little Big Shots"; been featured in numerous national publications; and has reviewed books from celebrities including Jimmy Fallon, Natalie Portman and Henry Winkler, he said.

Larson has his own website, too, where people can purchase exclusive items that were either crocheted or knitted by him, as well as books he's written, crochet kits, apparel and memorabilia. There's also a free collection of Larson's favorite patterns, from hats and scarves to home décor.

Larson uses his talents to give back to the Ethiopian community he was born in

Also like Antetokounmpo, Larson comes from humble beginnings and uses his platform to help those in need.

Jonah was abandoned after being born in rural Ethiopia in 2008, Jennifer said.

When Jennifer and her husband traveled there to adopt Jonah, he was "very, very ill." The couple wasn't even sure if the embassy was going to let them take him home because "they didn't know if he'd make it," Jennifer said.

As Jonah was placed in Jennifer's arms, one of the "nannies" who took care of the kids in the orphanage said, crying: "Please don't ever let him forget his roots. Don't let him forget his heritage. Have him remember Ethiopia."

"I never forgot that, and I promised her," Jennifer said.

Through auctioning off items Jonah has made, GoFundMe fundraisers and donations, Jonah has been able to work with Roots Ethiopia to improve the school he would've likely attended had he not been adopted.

"Those kids who are there right now would've been my peers, and that's where I would've grown up," Jonah said. "And I wouldn't have been able to acquire the education and all of the things I have here in America."

The Larson family's efforts have funded a library with over 3,000 books, a trained librarian and tutoring, along with a science lab with a teacher, Jonah said. They've also filled three empty classrooms with desks, and had new, more private bathrooms installed for female students.

Their current project: Establishing a soccer team, and getting the materials and equipment needed for that.

Reflecting on how far Jonah has come, Jennifer said "it's miraculous, really."

"From where he was — knowing that he might not make it home from Ethiopia — to being kind of a bit of a child celebrity all through the work of crochet. Who would have thought you could do so much with a hook and a ball of yarn, and your creativity. I'm so immensely proud of him."

Amy Schwabe of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jonah Larson crochets Bucks blankets for Giannis' sons