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Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Immigrant Story and the Internationalization of the NBA

July 21, 2021 (1 min read)

Matthew La Corte, Jacob Czarnecki, Niskanen Center, July 20, 2021

"On July 3, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Atlanta Hawks to advance to the NBA Finals, an accomplishment not seen in the city in almost 50 years. Leading the charge for Milwaukee is the six-foot, eleven-inch Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek-born star is one of the best basketball players in the world today and a global ambassador for the NBA.

The best foreign-born player competing on the league’s biggest stage is the latest apex in the decades-long internationalization of the NBA. The stellar results of that process carry broader conclusions for immigration policy. But first, it’s worth understanding the particular lessons drawn from Antetokounmpo’s compelling journey, which took him from statelessness to global stardom. ... "