Jake Paul challenges NBA players to up their social media game, lauds Thanasis Antetokounmpo for his unfiltered emotion
Jake Paul knows a thing or two about content creation. The YouTuber is a king of the social media strategy. On Thanasis Antettokounmpo’s podcast, "Thanalysis," Paul called out NBA players for missing out on their potential. He wants more access to NBA players' lives.
Paul said that there was a lane for guys like Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks forward and brother of Giannis Antetokounmpo, or others to share more about their lives.
Paul talked about the time Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro posted some content about his pregame routine before a road game. Paul thought the content was cool and wants to see more like it from NBA stars.
“I never see NBA players show more of the behind-the-scenes or their stories,” Paul said. “I think there could be more of an unveiling behind the curtain.”
Paul gave an example of something he would have liked to see on social media. He witnessed Antetokounmpo and his brothers go through their pregame hype ritual when attending a Bucks game.
“I saw your guys' pregame hype moment, and I thought it was f**king sick with your brotherhood, but I had to be in person to see that,” Paul said.
Paul thinks fans want to see what players do before games to get prepared or how they work out or kill time in a city on a road trip. NBA players are often thought of as the most easy to access given their faces are easy to see during games. Also, rosters are much smaller than baseball or football, so there are fewer players to keep track of, which boosts their visibility.
However, they are sometimes guarded on their road trips. There are plenty of stories about life on the road with an NBA team, but it is not often documented or shown on the internet. Even LeBron James, who posts regularly, has never fully revealed his day-to-day regimen.
Thanasis Antetkounmpo educates Jake Paul on cultural differences
Thanasis Antetokounmpo agreed with Jake Paul on his take. He said that it is not always easy for NBA stars to document everything given their hectic schedules.
He also said that for him specifically there are cultural differences as Antetokounmpo tries to build his podcast YouTube channel and brand. He runs a clothing brand with his brothers called AntetokounBros.
“I am trying to learn through the podcast to learn about American culture and learn how things work here and then grow my channel and the brand,” Antetokounmpo said.
The Bucks forward said he and his team are still learning how to market in America. He also said it is a bit harder as most foreign players like him go home to Greece or their respective countries during the offseason and do not seek the spotlight in the same ways Jake Paul does.