lobosloboslobos wrote:redeye514 wrote:old skool wrote:
None of this is accurate.
Fact #1: The Antetokounmpo family moved from Nigeria to Greece before Giannis was born.
Fact #2: When the Antetokounmpo family emigrated to Greece, Ujiri was in college.
Fact #3: Giannis, like most of his siblings, was born in Greece.
Does it sound reasonable to anyone here that Ujiri, as a student attending college in Bismark, North Dakota, did anything to help a Nigerian family emigrate to Greece? Because college students often help families that they have no connection to or contact with? And that the motivation was so an unborn son of the family could pursue a basketball career? And coincidentally the college student becomes a top NBA executive and the family has a son that becomes one of the top basketball players in the world?
1. Giannis family were illegal immigrants in Greece.
2. Giannis and all of his siblings were never legally recognized as Greece citizens.
3. Masai helped his family get legal citizenship in Greece.
Regardless of any of the above, I’ll just take it from the man himself:
https://www.reddit.com/r/torontoraptors/comments/boxlpd/giannis_i_care_about_masai_hes_an_unbelievable/Why you trying to throw shade on the legend of the GOAT Masai bro? Masai can turn your bottle of water into Henessy if you ask nicely.
yeah i got the facts of the story wrong but the essence right. glad you clarified it.
I think the revised "facts" that seem to be acknowledged here, change the essence of the story considerably. The implication is that instead of Masai helping the Antetokounmpo family 30 years ago when he was a college student in North Dakota, Masai helped the family with citizenship and visa issues in 2013 after Antetokounmpo was drafted by the Bucks.
But think this through for a second. Ujiri might have provided some assistance, advice and comfort to the family in 2013 when they were trying to get into the U.S. But did Ujiri make so much of a difference that without his help Giannis would have been denied entry to the U.S. Or his family would have been denied? What knowledge, expertise or leverage did Ujiri provide? Because he had Nigerian ancestry? Because he knew somebody in Nigeria once upon a time? Because he had some idea as to what it would take to get action from the Greek government? Because he knew how to use Google? Because he knew how to use the Yellow Pages?
Does anyone on the planet think that Ujiri, a highly educated, intelligent NBA executive with a relatively limited history of global activity would be more effective at helping Antetokounmpo than the Bucks owner? Herb Kohl had served twelve years in the U.S. Senate. He routinely worked with lawmakers and diplomats at all levels of the federal government. He had access to a full range of national and international leaders, from President Obama on down. Kohl was one of the most powerful people in the U.S. He passed legislation on scores of issues including immigration, approved the appointment of government officials (like the U.S. ambassadors to Greece and Nigeria), voted on foreign aid, and impacted virtually every aspect of U.S. and international life, but he couldn't help Antetokounmpo and family get into the U.S.?
I don't know what did or did not go on in public or behind the scenes, but it seems preposterous to me that a person with the knowledge, experience, and connections of a U.S. Senator would play less of a role in facilitating visas for Antetokounmpo and his family than a basketball executive. Giannis might graciously appreciate any help and support that Ujiri provided, but that does not mean that it was not Herb Kohl and the Milwaukee Bucks that transformed the lives of he and his family.