Brothers Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo greeted more than 2,000 adoring “blue-and-white” fans before tip-off at the Milwaukee Bucks third annual Greek Night on Friday.
Their pre-game greetings with Greek fans have become something of a routine in recent years, as eager crowds arrive hours in advance bearing flags and national team jerseys.
But this year the “AntetokounBros,” as they are affectionately known, received an extra special and spontaneous welcome from their fellow countrymen.
What began with faint voices quickly turned into an entire fan section singing the Greek national anthem in unison.
With grins on their faces, Giannis and Thanasis promptly joined in as they overlooked the crowd — which included fans of all ages.
Following the national anthem, the brothers posed for a photo-op as fans broke out chanting “MVP” in reference to Giannis.
But the pre-game ceremony wasn’t the only special occasion for the AntetokounBros, who, for the first time in their NBA careers, started a game together.
Before Friday night, Giannis and Thanasis had played for a total of nine seconds together this season — and Thanasis had never started a game.
The Bucks would lose their nine-game winning streak in a 127-115 loss to the Denver Nuggets, but, for Giannis, it remains a night to remember.
“It was amazing,” he said in a post-game interview. “I’m grateful, obviously, and I don’t think we’ve ever started in a game together…”
“Just being able to start with Thanasis — that’s something that’s always going to stick with me,” he added.
Even after the loss, the brothers stayed at the stadium to sign autographs and hundreds of Greek fans waited to catch a glimpse of them before they left.
Video: “AntetokounBros” Greet Thousands of Fans
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