President Katerina Sakellaropoulou (2nd-R) talks with Giannis Antetokounmpo (2nd-L) and his family at the Presidential Mansion, on Friday, September 17, 2021. [Kostas tsironis/ANA-MPA]
Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou met on Friday with basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo, his mother and younger brother, a day after the last two received an honorary citizenship.
Veronica and Alex Antetokounmpo were granted Greek citizenship in a decision signed on September 6 by Sakellaropoulou, and were sworn in on Thursday at the prime minister’s Maximos Mansion.
“It is historic that you are the first woman President of the Republic and thank you for inviting us as a family. We have always felt Greek, we went to a Greek school, we know Greek, we know Greek culture and that [the citizenship] is just the official seal,” said Giannis Antetokounmpo, with the president congratulating his mother.
Alexandros “Alex” Emeka Antetokounmpo – the younger brother of fellow basketball players Giannis, Thanassis and Kostas – was born in Greece in 2001 and spent the first 12 years of his life here before the family moved to the United States, where Giannis was playing his rookie season with the Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association.
Giannis and Thanassis Antetokounmpo were granted Greek citizenship in 2013 and Kostas in 2016.