PHILADELPHIA, PA – The Philadelphia 76ers closed out the NBA’s regular season on April 13 as they hosted the Milwaukee Bucks, whose player Giannis Antetokounmpo, born in Athens to Nigerian parents, is a fan favorite.

The Philadelphia Greek Basketball League (PGBL) hosted its first Greek Heritage Night at the event, honoring Antetokounmpo, affectionately known in the basketball world as “The Greek Freak” because of his imposing near-7-foot frame and tremendous athletic prowess.  Amid a sea of fans sporting Greek flags – and there was a Greek band on hand, too – Antetokounmpo said, in Greek, how proud he is to be honored and to thank everyone for turning out to support him. “The people make me feel even more Greek,” he said. There was Greek dancing, by dancers in traditional Greek village attire, in the middle of the Sixers’ court.