Video: Giannis Antetokounmpo breaks into traditional African dance at premiere of his short film 'Naija Odyssey'
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the hardest-working players in the NBA. His journey has been anything but easy, but he's made it far. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar was featured in the short film "Naija Odyssey," which highlights his struggles growing up.
The short film premiered on Wednesday, Sept. 21, and Antetokounmpo had a lot of fun. At one point, the six-time All-Star performed a traditional African dance. Giannis Antetokounmpo posted the video on his Twitter profile, showing the world where he comes from.
We turned up the @WhatsApp premiere tonight 🕺🏾🇳🇬😂 https://t.co/JFhuhOwDkJ
Antetokounmpo performing an African dance at the premiere of his short film is not surprising at all. The film is called "Naija Odyssey," which is a reference to his Nigerian roots and upbringing. Despite his Nigerian roots, Giannis Antetokounmpo grew up in Greece.
The short film shows the challenges faced by the NBA superstar in his childhood. He was born in Greece to Nigerian immigrants, and for a big part of his life, he wasn't Nigerian nor was he Greek.
The talented basketball player received Greek citizenship shortly before his NBA Draft, but not before he was "stateless" for almost two decades. Fortunately, he's made the most out of the opportunity and is now one of the best players in the NBA.
Despite being born and raised in Greece, Antetokounmpo grew up in a Nigerian home. He was surrounded by Greek people, but when he was home, there was no Greek culture or language.
While Giannis enjoys being called "The Greak Freak," he wants to be known for his African roots as well. The name of his film perfectly captures his journey and everything he's gone through.
"Naija Odyssey" is available on Amazon Prime video. This is the second film the Milwaukee Bucks forward was featured in this year. The first one was "Rise," which released in June 2022.
What's next for Bucks and Antetokounmpo?
The Milwaukee Bucks had a rather disappointing season. They lost to the Boston Celtics in seven games, but this did not come as a surprise since Khris Middleton did not play in the series.
Giannis Antetokounmpo gave his best to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Celtics were too strong. The Bucks forward averaged 33.9 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in the series, but still fell short.
Despite the loss, the Milwaukee Bucks are still one of the best teams in the league. With Middleton's return, Giannis Antetokounmpo and others will be hoping for a deep playoff run next season.
The East is extremely strong, so it will be interesting to see who the Bucks face come playoff time. With the team they have, winning another championship is a likely scenario.