Giannis Antetokounmpo to Make History as First Black Flagbearer for Greece at Olympics

Athens, Greece – In a historic first, Greek basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo will carry the flag for Greece at the upcoming Paris Olympics on July 26th. This announcement marks a significant moment for both the athlete and the nation. Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP with the Milwaukee Bucks, will be the first black athlete to lead the Greek delegation during the opening ceremony. His journey to this honour is an inspiring one, overcoming a childhood marked by statelessness due to his Nigerian immigrant parents.

“It’s an incredible feeling,” Antetokounmpo said after Greece qualified for the Olympics, his first appearance in the Games. “Since I was a kid, I always wanted to play in the Olympic Games.

His appointment as flagbearer sends a strong message of inclusivity and embraces the nation’s growing diversity.

The two-time NBA MVP will carry the flag alongside racewalker Antigoni Ntrismpioti in Paris on 26 July.

“There was unanimity in the decision for Giannis to carry the flag,” stated Spyros Kapralos, president of the Greek Olympic Committee. “Both flagbearers will lift our country high.”

Antetokounmpo will be one of the first athletes to open the Games, as Greece – the birthplace of the Olympics – traditionally leads the parade.

Spyros Kapralos, president of the Greek Olympic Committee, said there was “unanimity” in the decision for Antetokounmpo to carry the flag in Paris. He added that both flagbearers will “lift our country high”.

Antetokounmpo hasn’t publicly commented yet, but simply posted a video to X showing highlights from the qualifying campaign with the word “Greece”.