Friday Frappé: Giannis kept his promise

In this week’s edition of the Friday Frappé, AGONAsport’s Peter Katsiris has a message for all of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s haters as Greece prepares to take on the world at the 2019 FIBA World Cup…

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With tip-off at the 2019 FIBA World Cup less than 24 hours away, Greece are among the favourites to dethrone the United States this summer in China to claim what would be the Ethniki’s first-ever World Cup title.

While Greece’s hopes are aided by the fact that many of the United States’ top stars have declined to participate in this summer’s tournament, the main reason Greece are rated so highly is down to the fact the reigning NBA MVP will be temporarily trading the green of the Milwaukee Bucks for Greece’s classic blue-and-white.

It’s not a surprise either. Antetokounmpo has kept the promise he made last summer and is set to suit up for Greece in an official tournament for the first time since 2016.

It’s sadly a promise Antetokounmpo had to make because of the uproar his absence from EuroBasket 2017 caused after the Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK) claimed conspiracy when Antetokounmpo withdrew from the squad just two weeks before the tournament tipped-off.

Those claims of conspiracy created a divide between fans of the Ethniki and those in support of Antetokounmpo, with a strong majority leaning towards the side of the EOK.

Those critics continued to criticize last summer when Antetokounmpo opted not to feature for Greece during two summer qualifiers that really didn’t require a player of Antetokounmpo’s caliber.

There was no shortage of outrage on social media from Greek basketball fans who failed to realize that the new qualifying format for the World Cup will alienate the top NBA stars at least until the final tournament.

Perhaps that is why Antetokounmpo felt compelled to address the Greek media last summer and reveal that he would be suiting up for Greece at the final tournament.

But that wouldn’t put an end to the criticism Antetokounmpo would receive despite Greece breezing through qualifying even with players way down the depth chart for Thanasis Skourtopoulos and his staff.

Fast forward to this summer and some of the criticism has stopped but there is still plenty to go around for Antetokounmpo, who has yet to deliver the goods for the Ethniki but has time-and-time again echoed he is keen to guide Greece to success starting this summer.

While it’s obvious that seeing is believing for plenty of Greek basketball fans, even during the Ethniki’s preparation for the World Cup the criticism directed Antetokounmpo hasn’t slowed down.

Perhaps the most staggering example of this criticism comes in the form of results to a poll that was run on the popular Greek website Sport24.gr. The poll asked readers to select which player they believe will be final cut made by Skourtopoulos to trim the roster to 12 players, with all 13 players listed among the options.

While 34% of 17881 responses ultimately picked the same player Skourtopoulos had in mind in the form of Antonis Koniaris, a whopping 14% voted for Antetokounmpo to be cut. That’s roughly 2500 people who voted for the player labeled not only Greece’s best player but the best player headed to the tournament to be cut from the final roster.

While this poll is not a reflection of the whole Greece fanbase, it’s still staggering that one of Greece’s most read websites can run a poll of this type and have it yield results indicating that the best player on the Greece roster should be cut from the roster.

It’s time for Antetokounmpo’s haters to stop hating and start supporting Antetokounmpo as he begins an exciting journey with his Ethniki teammates in a bid to make all of Greece, and its diaspora, proud of the Episimi Agapimeni once again.

by Peter Katsiris

Image Source: sport24.gr

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