Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke in a podcast about his origins and noted that although he was born in Greece, he has played for the Greek National Team everyone knows that he is Nigerian.
His parents left Nigeria for a better life in Greece and Giannis, who was born in Greece, made his way from Sepolia to the magical world of the NBA and was drafted – naturally as a Greek.
“I have the values and principles of Nigeria. Besides, my parents are Nigerian and I have grown up in such an environment. Of course, I was born in Greece, and I grew up in Greece, with the European mentality, so I have elements from both sides. My case is a bit similar to Olajuwon’s because he too, although Nigerian, represented more of the American part of him.
At the end of the day, everybody knows that I am Nigerian. That’s the culture I have. In the summer I went with my mother, and I met my relatives. I was born in Greece, I’ve played for Greece, but everybody knows I’m Nigerian, I’m African.”
