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By: Abiodun Adewale.
Greek-Nigerian and Milwaukee Bucks star, Giannis Antetokounmpo, couldn’t hide his delight after visiting Nigeria for the first time.
Antetokounmpo was at the Rowe Park Sports Centre in Lagos during the weekend, where he inspired up-and-coming basketball players at the final of the Youth Alive Basketball Championship.
The 2021 NBA champion and two-time NBA MVP departed the country on Saturday and later shared a picture on Twitter where he was seen with his mother, Veronica, during the visit.
“Finally made it to Nigeria with Mama the Mama,” he wrote.
One of the facilitators of the NBA star’s visit at the event, Philip Braide, relished his impact on the young players.
“There was no better time than during the finals of the Youth Alive Basketball League, which was just being rounded off,” Braide wrote on Facebook.
“Giannis, who has kept on distinguishing himself in the game, came back to the fatherland to inspire kids in love with our beautiful game. The atmosphere was super exciting and the memories will linger on for a lifetime amongst these kids.”
The 28-year-old had teased about coming to Nigeria when he celebrated his father’s Poverty Is No Joke campaign with Hasan Minhaj, an American comedian, political commentator and actor.
His visit comes two weeks after his older brother, Thanasis, also visited the country for the first time when he took pupils of three selected schools in Lagos on some classroom and on-the-court mentorship sessions.
They both won the NBA together in 2021.
Antetokounmpo and his brothers were born to a Yoruba father and an Igbo mother in Greece.
Their two other younger brothers, Kostas and Alex, are also professional basketball players.
