"Knockout in the group stage": NBA fans roast Nike billboard in Paris welcoming Giannis Antetokounmpo for 2024 Olympics
A massive billboard welcoming Giannis Antetokounmpo has been displayed in Paris ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Fans humorously suggested that the “Greek Freak” was being welcomed only to potentially face an early exit in the group stage of the men’s basketball tournament.
Giannis Antetokounmpo shared a clip showcasing the enormous billboard on the Centre national d'art et de culture Georges-Pompidou, also known as the Pompidou Centre. The display featured a neon green Nike logo set against an orange backdrop with black holes. Like a curtain, the billboard transitioned to reveal the word "GIANNIS" in neon green, replacing the Nike logo.
X (formerly Twitter) user @I_Dawood__ wasted no time in teasing the Milwaukee Bucks star following his billboard reveal, saying:
“Knock out in group stage!”
Antetokounmpo's Greece is in a challenging group with Australia, Canada, and Spain for the Olympics. According to FIBA's World Rankings, Greece is currently the 14th-best basketball country globally, while Spain holds the second spot, Australia is ranked fifth and Canada is seventh.
User @CenturyOG joked:
“Never going to win a ring or a medal.”
One user wished Antetokounmpo good luck, but with a caveat.
“Good luck! (except against Australia),” user @tnorris1977 said.
Here are other reactions to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s billboard:
Looking at the best NBA players grouped with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece is grouped with several formidable teams in the Olympic basketball tournament, with the top two from each group advancing.
Team Australia features NBA players like Josh Giddey, Joe Ingles, Patty Mills, Duop Reath, Jock Landale, Josh Green, Dante Exum and Dyson Daniels, as well as veteran Matthew Dellavedova.
Canada's roster includes last season's MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, his cousin Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Lu Dort, Dwight Powell, RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk, Dillon Brooks, Trey Lyles, Jamal Murray, Andrew Nembhard and former NBA player Khem Birch.
Spain only has Santi Aldama and Usman Garuba as current NBA players in its roster, but it has former NBA players Juancho and Willy Hernangomez, Alex Abrines, as well as veterans Lorenzo Brown and Sergio Llull.
Antetokounmpo's Greece teammates include Giorgos Papagiannis, Kostas Papanikolaou, Giannoulis Larentzakis and Thomas Walkup.
Antetokounmpo will serve as Greece's male flagbearer at the opening ceremony of the Paris Summer Games.
According to the Olympics website, Antetokounmpo will make history as the first Black flagbearer for Greece when he leads the Greek delegation during the athlete parade on July 26. He will be joined by race walker Antigoni Ntrismpioti, who has been chosen as the female flagbearer for Greece.