Greek basketball superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will make history as the first Black athlete to carry the Greek flag at the Olympics. The two-time NBA MVP will lead the Greek delegation alongside race walker Antigoni Ntrismpioti during the opening ceremony in Paris on July 26.
A Journey of Perseverance
Antetokounmpo’s path to this prestigious honor has not been easy. The son of Nigerian immigrants, he spent the first 18 years of his life effectively stateless, unable to travel outside of Greece and without citizenship from either Greece or Nigeria. In 2013, just months before being drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks, he finally received Greek citizenship.
Despite facing racism and discrimination throughout his life, both from the public and government officials, Antetokounmpo has risen to become one of the NBA’s biggest stars. In 2021, he led the Bucks to their first NBA championship in 50 years.
Antetokounmpo spoke candidly about his childhood experiences, recounting how he had to sell various items on the streets from the age of 6 or 7 to help support his family. “I was always out of home trying as much as I could to help my mom and dad by selling watches, glasses, CDs, DVDs, and everything I could find,” he said in a recent interview.
Unanimous Decision by the Greek Olympic Committee
The Greek Olympic Committee decided unanimously for Antetokounmpo to carry the flag, according to its president, Spyros Kapralos. He noted that both Antetokounmpo and Ntrismpioti will “lift our country high” during the opening ceremony.
Antetokounmpo has yet to publicly comment on this historic honor, but he posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing highlights from Greece’s Olympic qualifying campaign, captioned simply with the word “Greece.”
As one of the first athletes to lead the parade at the Olympics, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s journey from a stateless immigrant to becoming the first Black Greek flagbearer is a testament to his perseverance and the progress Greece has made in embracing its diverse population.
HELLAS 💪🏾🧿🇬🇷 #FIBAOQT pic.twitter.com/TUZCpMKMNR
Advertisement— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) July 9, 2024
