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Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo Receives Life Changing News Ahead Of Paris Olympics

By McQuade ArnoldJuly 9, 2024No Comments3 Mins Read

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo, right, tries to score against Croatia's Ivica Zubac, during a FIBA Olympic Qualifying basketball final, at the Peace and Friendship stadium, at Athens' port city of Piraeus, Sunday, July 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo, right, tries to score against Croatia's Ivica Zubac, during a FIBA Olympic Qualifying basketball final, at the Peace and Friendship stadium, at Athens' port city of Piraeus, Sunday, July 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks has become an Olympian.

The Greek men’s basketball team defeated Croatia 80-69 in the finals of the four qualification tournaments competing for spots in the 12-team field for the Paris Olympics, with Antetokounmpo scoring 23 points.

Greece earned its first Olympic berth since 2008 with 19 points from Georgios Papagiannis and 14 points from Nick Calathes.

However, Giannis received even more good news after Greece Qualified for the playoffs.

Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Receives Incredible News Ahead Of Paris Olympics

Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece is playing during the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024, match between the Dominican Republic and Greece at Peace & Friendship Stadium on July 3, 2024, in Piraeus, Greece. (Photo by Stefanos Kyriazis/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Milwaukee Bucks — Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece is playing during the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024, match between the Dominican Republic and Greece at Peace & Friendship Stadium on July 3, 2024, in Piraeus, Greece. (Photo by Stefanos Kyriazis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

According to Journalist Harris Stavrou:

OFFICIAL: Hellenic Olympic Committee decided that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Antigoni Drisbioti will be the Flag Bearers for Greece at the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and will lead the athletes’ parade – SPORT24

In this historic moment for Greece, Antetokounmpo becomes the first Black athlete to bear its flag.

In response to a question concerning holding a flag after the Croatia match, Antetokounmpo said that it is possible.

“That is an honor,” he said. “If I am the flagbearer, great. If I am not, OK. I am just happy that I have a good coaching staff and a good team, I am in the Olympics. I just want to go and compete. But I would enjoy every moment.”

Despite being born in Greece, Antetokounmpo is of Nigerian descent, and the racism and fear he experienced growing up has been well documented. It wasn’t until 2013 that he and his brother Thanasis were granted citizenship, allowing them to be drafted into the NBA (Thanasis played in the G League in 2013 and was selected by New York in the 2014 draft).

Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo, reacts after his team qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics eliminating Croatia, following a FIBA Olympic Qualifying basketball final, at the Peace and Friendship stadium, at Athens' port city of Piraeus, Sunday, July 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)(Petros Giannakouris | AP) Milwaukee Bucks — Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, reacts after his team qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics eliminating Croatia, following a FIBA Olympic Qualifying basketball final, at the Peace and Friendship stadium, at Athens’ port city of Piraeus, Sunday, July 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)(Petros Giannakouris | AP)

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McQuade Arnold

McQuade Arnold is a Sports Columnist and Co-Owner of Wisconsin Sports Heroics (WSH), Gridiron Heroics (GH), and Hardwood Heroics (HWH). He is originally from Superior, WI, and is a die-hard Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Badgers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Milwaukee Bucks fan. McQuade's work for WSH has been featured on Yardbarker, Bleacher Report, NewsBreak, and MSN.

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