Greek basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers donated 10,000 surgical masks to the Athens neighborhoods of Zografou and Sepolia in efforts to help fight the coronavirus outbreak in Greece.
“The municipality of Zografou wants to express its great gratitude to the Antetokounmpo family for offering 10,000 masks to the residents of the city as a measure of protection against the Covid-19 virus,” a statement from the municipality said.
The gesture from the family, “in addition to the substantial offer to the citizens of Zografou, proves the close bond that the Antetokounmpo brothers have with the city that remained for several years their home,” it added.
Milwaukee Bucks standout Giannis, last season’s NBA MVP, and his brothers Thanasis, Kostas and Alexis grew up in poverty in their early days in Greece where their parents had arrived from Nigeria as immigrants.
They grew up selling merchandise in the streets of the capital in order to help their poor family, but basketball changed their lives and Giannis signed a $100 million four-year contract with the Bucks in 2016.
They played street basketball in Sepolia, a gritty, central-Athens neighborhood that the family hasn’t forgotten.
“I thank from the bottom of my heart the Antetokounmpo brothers for their generous offer which acquires even greater dimensions because it takes place during these difficult times for the entire planet,” said Zografou mayor Vassilis Thodas.
“With their offer they confirm that they have not forgotten the city and when the nightmare of the coronavirus is over, the municipality will honour Giannis and his brothers accordingly,” he added.
The municipality announced that the masks donated by the Antetokounmpo family will be immediately distributed to employees in the region and to vulnerable groups.
Watch: A Kid From Sepolia Who Became The MVP
Is The Pappas Post worth $5 a month for all of the content you read? On any given month, we publish dozens of articles that educate, inform, entertain, inspire and enrich thousands who read The Pappas Post. I’m asking those who frequent the site to chip in and help keep the quality of our content high — and free. Click here and start your monthly or annual support today. If you choose to pay (a) $5/month or more or (b) $50/year or more then you will be able to browse our site completely ad-free!
Click here if you would like to subscribe to The Pappas Post Weekly News Update
