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Salon
Salon
Politics
Griffin Eckstein

Trump: Am I "more Greek" than Giannis?

Former President Donald Trump told a crowd of Wisconsin rallygoers that he might have “more Greek in him” than Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“Your team is very good,” Trump told the crowd. “I would say The Greek is a seriously good player, do you agree? And tell me, who has more Greek in him? The Greek or me? I think we have about the same, right?”

Antetokounmpo — frequently referred to by his first name and nicknamed the “Greek Freak” — was born and raised in Athens to Nigerian parents. Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to their second-ever NBA championship in 2021, represented Greece as their flag-bearer in the Paris Olympic Games this summer.

The attack on Antetokounmpo’s identity came from a rally stage beneath the 2021 championship banner hanging in the Bucks' Fiserv Forum. During his speech, Trump backpedaled and praised the Milwaukee hero.

“[He is] maybe the best player in the NBA, actually. He may be the best player. He’s supposed to be a very good guy, too,” Trump said of the two-time MVP.

Trump has a storied history of doubting Black public figures' birthplaces and has faced a wave of criticism from NBA legends other than Antetokounmpo. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. All-Star LeBron James recently threw in behind Harris, sharing a video of Trump's most bigoted remarks.

“What are we even talking about here?? When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me,” James wrote on social media. “VOTE KAMALA HARRIS!!!”

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